Julia Ernst, Soprano, was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is a current student of Gerald Martin Moore at Yale University, School of Music. In the upcoming 2026-2027 season, Julia will debut the role of Fiordiligi in Yale Opera’s production of Cosi Fan Tutte. Julia will also perform as the Soprano soloist in the Yale Philharmonic Orchestras performance of Beethoven 9. In the 2025-2026 season, Julia sang the role of Mimi in Yale Opera’s production of La Boheme, under the baton of Metropolitan Opera conductor J. David Jackson. In May of 2026, Julia sang the role of The Governess in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw with Yale Opera. Summer of 2026, Julia will attend the Ravinia Steans Institute of Music as a Vocal Fellow, fueling her love of performing and curating art song repertoire. In November of 2025, Julia sang the role of Govinda in the East Coast premiere of Siddartha, She, by Christopher Theofanidis. In September of 2025, Julia received an Encouragement Award and was one of 10 finalists in the Butler Opera International Voice Competition in Austin, Texas. In February of 2025, Julia sang the title role of Tchaikovsky’s, Iolanta, under the baton of Metropolitan Opera conductor, J. David Jackson. In 2024/2025, Julia won the Connecticut District of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition and won Third Place in the New England Region of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. In the summer of 2025, Julia participated in a series of song recitals and covered the role of Mimi in La Boheme at the Aspen Music Festival. In the summer of 2024, while studying as a Lehrer Vocal Institute Fellow, Julia covered the role of Micaëla in Music Academy of the West’s fully staged production of Carmen. Other notable roles include: Countess Almaviva in Le Nozze Di Figaro, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, and Lia in L’enfant Prodigue. Julia won Second Place in the Orpheus National Vocal Competition, FAVA Grand Concours, and The John Alexander Vocal Competition. In 2023/2024, she won the New Orleans District of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition.