Mezzo soprano Grace Ryan is an international award winning young artist, hailing originally from Chicago and thrilled to be joining Detroit Opera as a Resident Artist for the 2026-27 season. She recently completed her Masters of Music in Voice Performance at the University of Michigan, studying with Stanford Olsen, and received her undergraduate degrees from DePaul University in Voice Performance and Music Education in 2024, where she studied with tenor Scott Ramsay. Roles throughout her studies include Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel, Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, Carmen in La Tragédie de Carmen, Juno/Ino in Semele and Nancy in Albert Herring. Grace was a 2025 Summer Studio Artist with Florentine Opera, where she sang Justice Ruth Bader-Ginsburg in Scalia/Ginsburg, studied as an intensive artist with Nashville Bel Canto, covered the title role in Bertin’s Fausto, an American premiere at Opera Neo as a 2026 Studio Artist, and sang Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro as a 2026 Studio Artist with Finger Lakes Opera. Grace has been honored to be named the recipient of several awards, including winning the 2026 International Luciano Pavarotti Competition at Opera Naples, third place in the Midwest Regionals after being named the winner of the St. Louis District in the Metropolitan Laffont Competition in 2026, the Jessie Walker Memorial Award from the 2025 Opera Index Awards, an encouragement award recipient at the 2026 George London Competition, the winner of the 2026 University of Michigan Concerto Competition, first place in the University of Michigan Friends of Opera Competition, grand prize from the Opera Grand Rapids Vanderlaan Prize, and more.