Artist Bios
Laura Sanders, soprano
2nd Place Winner
Bachelor of Music and Master of Music: Eastman School of Music
Hailed for her "honeyed soprano" and "sweet amber tone" by Classical Voice North America, Filipina-American soprano Laura Corina Sanders is an artist to watch. Her notable accolades include First Prize in the Lotte Lenya Competition in 2018, First Prize in the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston Career Grant Competition in 2023, Encouragement Award winner in the 2023 Camille Coloratura Awards, and she has twice been the recipient of an Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council competition.
In 2025, Ms. Sanders was named a finalist at the Carolyn Bailey Argento Vocal Competition at the National Opera Association Conference, a finalist in the Dallas Opera Lone Star Competition and won 2nd prize at the MIOpera International Vocal Competition. She debuted as Elvira in Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri at both Opera In The Heights and Anchorage Opera, and in the summer will appear as Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia at Central City Opera.
2024 saw Ms. Sanders' most prolific year of performances yet, with 9 different roles. She appeared in multiple productions with Opera Orlando, including the ensemble of Frida, First Wood Sprite in Rusalka, and The Daughter in Philip Glass’ The Juniper Tree, as well as covering Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor. Over the summer, she joined Charlottesville as an Ader Emerging Artist performing Gianetta in L'elisir d'amore, then went on to debut as Little Red Riding Hood in Steven Sondheim's Into The Woods at Union Avenue Opera. In the fall she made her role and house debut as Gretel in Humperdinck's Hansel And Gretel at Mobile Opera, and appeared as Water in Rachel Portman's The Little Prince at Opera In The Heights.
In 2023 Ms. Sanders made her debut with Minnesota Opera, creating the roles of Joua Thao and Kalia Yang in the world premiere of The Song Poet by Kao Kalia Yang and Jocelyn Hagen. This was a revolutionary AAPI-focused and female-led production, where she was credited for her “winning…clear soprano.” She made multiple role and house debuts in the summer of 2023, including Zerlina in Don Giovanni with Painted Sky Opera, The Young Woman in the rarely-performed Red Carnations by Robert Baksa with Lone Star Lyric Opera, and her Canada debut as Arsinoë in the world premiere of Cleopatra Built with Opéra Queens. In the fall, Ms. Sanders continued on to join Opera Orlando as a Studio Artist for the 2023-2024 season.
Website: https://www.lauracorinasanders.com
Marissa Howard, soprano
3rd Place Winner
Bachelor’s of Music: Roosevelt University
Master’s of Music: University of Memphis
A Colorado native, soprano Marissa Howard has been heralded for her “silvery coloratura voice” and comedic interpretation. This past year she joined Mousaverse Opera in their production of Ariadne auf Naxos, stared as the leading role in Evanston Chamber Opera’s product of Le Chalet, and worked with Chicago Opera Theater as part of their Vanguard Composer workshop.
This upcoming season, she joined Chicago Opera Theater in their premier North American debut of Leonora, worked with Bellissima Opera as part of their concert series for the Spoon River Anthology, served as an outreach artist with Opera Saratoga for their tour of Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Nina in el Mundo, and worked with Victory Hall Opera for their upcoming documentary “YAP’s” premiering in May 2025.
Since moving to Chicago she was a featured artist with Cecilia Opera in the crossover cabaret concert series, was a featured recording artist with GIA Productions, and joined MIOpera’s production of The Pirates of Penzance. In previous seasons she’s worked with Utah Festival Opera, La Musica Lirica, Memphis Light Opera, Cedar Summerstock Theater, Varna International, Up North Vocal Institute, Miami Classical Music Festival, and Memphis Youth Symphony. In addition, she was a semifinalist in the NATSAA National Competition in 2022 as well as a finalist for the Harold Haugh Light Opera Competition. She received her bachelor’s degree at Roosevelt University where she sang alongside the Chicago Sinfonietta and Chicago Symphony Chorus alike under the tutelage of Thomas Studebaker and Cynthia Clarey.
Marissa went on to receive her master’s degree at the University of Memphis where she made her professional debut with Opera Memphis as Cousin in Madama Butterfly. Marissa currently resides in Chicago where she studies under Amy Owens.
Website: https://www.marissahoward.com
Guest Artists
DENNIS GOTKOWSKI, PIanist & Resident Conductor
Dennis Gotkowski, MIOpera’s Resident Conductor, serves in a multifaceted role as conductor, vocal coach, and pianist. Recent conducting credits include MIOpera performances of Carmen, The Sound of Music, Amahl and the Night Visitors, La Bohème, and Les Contes d’Hoffmann, as well as Illinois State University’s 2022 production of Legally Blonde. He has music directed numerous productions in the Bloomington-Normal area.
In recent years, Gotkowski has performed as a tenor soloist with Concordia University Wisconsin (Haydn’s Creation), the Madison Area Youth Chamber Orchestra (Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings), Madison Savoyards (The Mikado), UW Opera, Prairie Fire Theatre, and Dramatic Crossroads. His roles include Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Mayor Upfold (Albert Herring), Little Bat (Susannah), Basilio (Le nozze di Figaro), and Rumpelstiltskin/Wonderful Musician (Conrad Susa’s Transformations), a role he recorded on an upcoming album. He has also served on the voice faculty at ISU, teaching voice as well as French and German diction.
In addition to singing and conducting, Gotkowski is an active performer as a collaborative pianist, harpsichordist, and organist. He passionately strives to highlight the music of women composers for modern audiences; his recitals have featured the works of Clara Wieck Schumann, Alma Maria Mahler Gropius Werfel, Florence Price, Rebecca Clarke, Pauline Viardot-Garcia, Lili Boulanger, and Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, among others. He prepared an edition of Maria Margherita Grimani’s 1713 operatic work Pallade e Marte as his dissertation.
Gotkowski received his doctorate in voice performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studied voice with James Doing and collaborative piano with Martha Fischer. He holds a master’s degree in voice performance and choral conducting from Illinois State University and a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from Illinois Wesleyan University.
Macauley Allen, tenor
Tenor Macauley Allen made his MIOpera debut as Fenton in the company’s 2016 production of Verdi’s Falstaff. As a MIOpera Resident Artist, he has performed a variety of roles, including El Remendado in Bizet’s Carmen, Count Almaviva in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia, the Duke of Mantua in Verdi’s Rigoletto, King Kaspar in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors, Rolf in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music, Frederic in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance, and Alfred in Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus, among others. Macauley also appears as Gastone in MIOpera’s motion picture adaptation of Verdi’s La Traviata.
Beyond his work with MIOpera, Macauley has taken on several roles while earning his degrees at Illinois State University, including Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte and Rinuccio in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. He studies under MIOpera’s General Director, Professor John Koch.
Matthew Mancillas, baritone
MIOpera Resident Artist Matthew “Em” Mancillas received their Master of Music degree in vocal performance from Illinois State University, as well as a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley. Through their college career, they performed the roles Guglielmo and Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte), Papageno (The Magic Flute), and the title role in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. They have also appeared frequently as a performer with MIOpera during their time in Illinois playing roles like The Pirate King (Pirates of Penzance), Schaunard (La bohème), and Dr. Falke (Die Fledermaus), with their most recent role being that of the Dancairo in Bizet’s Carmen. In between productions with MIO, they also sing Christmas carols regularly during the holiday season, and perform in smaller recitals. During their downtime, they enjoy poetry, horror movies, and composing new music very slowly. He is a student of Prof John. Koch at Illinois State University.