Sopranos Brianna J. Robinson and Mia Mandineau, tenor Travis Leon Williams and baritone Cole Bellamy are training with the Detroit Opera for the 2025-26 season of the Detroit Opera’s Resident Artist Program.
From September 2025 through May 2026, the Resident Artists work intensively alongside Detroit Opera’s Head of Music and renowned opera coach Nathalie Doucet.
They recently arrived in Interlochen for their annual residency with Interlochen Arts Academy students, and their first stop was in IPR's Studio A.
Each musician answered the same four questions.
The questions
What's the best performance of an opera you've ever seen onstage?
Brianna J. Robinson: Ailyn Pérez as Mimì in Puccini's "La bohème" at the Metropolitan Opera
Mia Mandineau: Nadine Sierra as Violetta in Verdi's "La traviata" at the Paris Opera
Travis Leon Williams: a recent production of Cherbini's "Medea" at Lyric Opera of Chicago
Cole Bellamy: a recent production of Strauss' "Der Rosenkavalier" at Santa Fe Opera
Nathalie Doucet: a recent production of Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" at the Metropolitan Opera
Who's the one opera singer whose recordings you'd have with you on a desert island?
Brianna J. Robinson: Leontyne Price
Mia Mandineau: Luciano Pavarotti
Travis Leon Williams: Jessye Norman
Cole Bellamy: George London
Nathalie Doucet: Brianna J. Robinson, Mia Mandineau, Travis Leon Williams and Cole Bellamy
What's a role you haven't played yet but want to play one day?
Brianna J. Robinson: Norma (Bellini)
Mia Mandineau: any Mozart lady
Travis Leon Williams: Don José in "Carmen" (Bizet)
Cole Bellamy: Don Giovanni (Mozart)
Nathalie Doucet: Salome (Strauss)
What do you listen to that's not opera?
Brianna J. Robinson: Beyoncé
Mia Mandineau: Beyoncé and hip-hop
Travis Leon Williams: bands and girl groups of the 1950s and 1960s
Cole Bellamy: Herbie Hancock
Nathalie Doucet: classic jazz by Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone; NPR
L to R: Cole Bellamy, Brianna J. Robinson, Mia Mandineau, Director of Music Nathalie Doucet, Travis Leon Williams
Photo by Isabel Li
Hear the Studio A interview and performance by clicking "Listen."
Music performed in Studio A
Jacques Offenbach, "Barcarolle" from "Les Contes d'Hoffman" (Mia Mandineau and Brianna J. Robinson)
Johann Strauss II, The Champagne Quartet from "Die Fledermaus" (Mia Mandineau, Brianna J. Robinson, Travis Leon Williams and Cole Bellamy)
Hear the Detroit Opera Resident Artists in recital with the Interlochen Arts Academy Opera Theatre Ensemble on Thursday, January 29 at 7:30 p.m. in Interlochen's Dendrinos Chapel. Admission is free and no tickets are required.
Jack Conners engineered this edition of Studio A.
Isabel Li and Laura Osgood Brown provided additional support.
