Baritone Sam Chiba and Soprano Claire Pegram singing a duet in Mozart's Opera Le Nozze di Figaro
Soprano Elise Leung sings an aria from Mozart's Opera Don Giovanni
Soprano Jane Pappas sings an aria from Mozart's Opera La Clemenza di Tito
Baritone Sam Chiba and Soprano Claire Pegram singing a duet in Mozart's Opera Le Nozze di Figaro
Elgin (Greater Austin), Texas 2026
July 6 - August 10
Faculty
Voice and Stage Direction
William Lewis, Tenor and Stage Director
FAVA President William Lewis was a heralded leading tenor of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City from 1957 to 1992. Renowned internationally at Teatro alla Scala, Milano; Royal Opera Covent Garden, London; Vienna Staatsoper; Hamburg Staatsoper; Opera de Paris; San Francisco Opera; and the festivals at: Salzburg, Edinburgh, Spoleto Italy, Spoleto USA, Wexford, Ireland and Amsterdam.
He is a distinguished professor of the Butler School of Music of the University of Texas and the president of FAVA.
William Lewis was awarded the title of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Republic of France.
For more information, please visit WILLIAMLEWISTENOR.NET
Voice, Assistant Stage Director
Lily Guerrero, Soprano
Lily Guerrero is assistant professor of voice at The University of Texas at Austin, where she oversees the vocal pedagogy program and teaches applied voice.
A familiar face with Austin Opera, she recently performed Frasquita in Carmen and Diana in Cruzar la cara de la luna, a role she will reprise at Amarillo Opera in 2025. Post-Covid, Guerrero covered Marzelline in Fidelio at Austin Opera, sang the soprano solo in Brahms’ Requiem with the San Antonio Choral Society, and performed as a Vocal Fellow at Spoleto Festival USA in Yuval Sharon’s new “backwards Bohème.” She was the soprano soloist for Sonido Barroco’s Messiah as well as for the Mid-Texas Symphony Sounds of the Season concert. Other recent concert performances include the soprano solos in Finzi’s In terra pax and Rutter’s Requiem.
She has performed roles such as Norina in Don Pasquale, Despina in Così fan tutte, Cunegonde in Candide, Morgana in Alcina, Papagena and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte
Guerrero also performed Pamina in Die Zauberflöte and Manuelita/Berginella in La Périchole with the Franco-American Vocal Academy, under the tutelage of Metropolitan Opera tenor, William Lewis.
Pianist Coach
Mia Elezovic
Based in Vienna, Ms. Elezovic has performed in concerts internationally, giving solo recitals as well as chamber music concerts in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czeck Republic, Germany, Italy, Japan, Slovenia, Spain and the United States.
In 2008 she became part of accompanying department at Manhattan School of Music. In autumn 2010 Ms. Elezovic became a Faculty member at Royal Conservatory of Liege, Belgium.
Ms Elezovic joined the William Lewis School of Opera in 2012.
