Naomi Isabel Ruiz
A native of Port Orchard, Washington, soprano Naomi Isabel Ruiz earned a Performer Diploma and a Master of Music in Voice Performance from Indiana University, where she studied with Patricia Wise. While a student at IU, Ms. Ruiz appeared with the Indiana University Opera Theatre as Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Antonia in A Wedding by Willam Bolcom. Additionally, she performed Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte under the guidance of Martina Arroyo and was seen in IU Opera Workshop productions directed by Carol Vaness. During her final year at IU, she taught voice class as an Associate Instructor. In 2007, she performed as a semifinalist in the Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition, was an IU Travel Grant Competition Award winner and won first place in the Indianapolis Matinee Musicale Competition. Through Mu Phi Epsilon, Ms. Ruiz was awarded a 2007 Summer Scholarship and a 2006 International Brena Hazzard Voice Scholarship.
In the summer of 2007, Ms. Ruiz was invited to perform Mimì in La bohème with the Janiec Opera Company at the Brevard Music Center. The summer of 2005, she was seen as Ännchen in Der Freischütz and Constance in Dialogues des Carmélites in BASOTI opera scene productions. Ms. Ruiz participated in the master class of Patricia Wise at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria in the summer of 2004. This summer, she was selected to participate in Timothy Noble’s Charlie Creek Vocal Workshop.
As a McNair Scholar, Ms. Ruiz graduated cum laude with a BM in Choral Music Education from Central Washington University. While studying at CWU, she performed in newly composed one-act operas, including Obassan in Sedge Hats, the title role in Soul Catcher, and in many opera scenes as well as the title role in Cinderella with Valley Musical Theatre.
As a first-year member of the Minnesota Opera Resident Artist Program, Ms. Ruiz will perform Ines in Il trovatore by Verdi, Rosaura in The Adventures of Pinocchio by Dove, Berta in The Barber of Seville and will cover the role of Marguerite in Gounod’s Faust. Next season she returns to sing roles in La bohème and Salome. This summer, Ms. Ruiz will be a Des Moines Metro Opera young artist.
