HILDEGARD BEHRENS FOUNDATION
~helping young artists reach their true artistic and humanitarian potential~
2020 Awardee: Yunuet Laguna
Yunuet Laguna (Soprano)
Mexican soprano Yunuet Laguna is in her first year of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at the Metropolitan Opera. In September of 2019, she performed with the Houston Symphony Orchestra a program of Spanish Zarzuelas during Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, in December made her New York City debut at the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Patrons Concert at the Peter Sharp Theater, and in January 2020 crowned her winter season with her debut with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Xian Zhang. This included performances of Mozart operatic arias and duets that travelled to several major cities in New Jersey, culminating with a concert at the prestigious New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, to immense public and critical acclaim. Performances described as “full voiced with artful and flowing phrasing”, by the New Jersey media. She has been the recipient of multiple awards including the first place at the 2019 Opera Index Competition. She is also the first Mexican soprano in history to participate in the prestigious Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.
Ms. Laguna was also the winner of the inaugural Metropolitan Opera National Council (MONC) Mexico District auditions in San Miguel, Mexico, and earned second place at the MONC Gulf Coast Region auditions in 2019. In the same year she was a finalist in the Sinaloa International Vocal Competition where she received a scholarship to attend the San Miguel de Allende Bel Canto Institute. In February of 2019, she was the winner of the Ana María Martinez Encouragement Award at the Houston Grand Opera competition.
Earlier in the 2018 season, Ms. Laguna performed as the soprano soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with the San Miguel de Allende Opera, and also as a soloist with the Toluca Philharmonic Orchestra, Mexiquense Symphony Orchestra, and the Symphony Orchestra of Zacatecas. She received her training at the Conservatorio National de Música in Mexico City where she also sang with the Conservatorio Nacional de Música Orchestra.
Ms. Laguna has participated in masterclasses with famed mezzosoprano Denise Graves, Maestro Marco Armiliato, and star tenor Francisco Araiza.
Upcoming engagements include Mimi in La Bohème with the Wolf Trap Opera in summer of 2020.
The 2020 Hildegard Behrens Foundation award ceremony at the Metropolitan Opera’s Belmont Room, November 17th, 2019, with 2019 HBF prize winner Gabriella Reyes, Alexander Schuck, 2020 HBF prize winner Yunuet Laguna, Foundation Chairman Dr. Gaston Ormazabal, Executive Director of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program Sophie Joyce, and Foundation Board Members Mary Gene Sondericker and entrepreneur and philanthropist Richard Strother:
(photos: Jonathan Tichler)
Backstage at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, NJ, January 2020. Alexander Schuck, Executive Director of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program Sophie Joyce, soprano Jessica Faselt (LYDP), 2020 HBF prize winner Yunuet Laguna, Foundation Chairman Dr. Gaston Ormazabal, NJ Symphony Maestro Xian Zhang, mezzosoprano Valentina Pluzhnikova (LYDP), 2019 HBF prize winner Gabriella Reyes, and stage director Edward Berkeley:
(photo: Gabriella Reyes)
