JULIE WRIGHT-COSTA

 JULIE WRIGHT COSTA, is held in high regard as an interpreter and director of operetta, singing numerous leading roles, nationally. Julie is honored to have celebrated her 32nd season with the Ohio Light Opera and looks forward to returning to the company as a director in the summer of 2025. With the Ohio Light Opera, she has sung in over 100 different productions, performed over 80 roles and directed more than 20 of OLO’s season titles. 

In charge of the casting process for the Ohio Light Opera, Julie travelled to seven cities, auditioning over 400 singers from across the country. 

In 2021she staged The Light on the Horizon (filmed for live stream) for Utah Opera and created a virtual recital of British art song for Opéra Louisiane with collaborative pianist/conductor Michael Borowitz. Julie is honored to return to Western Plains opera to direct La Bohème and to reunite with this very special community. 

Career highlights include performances with the opera companies of Nevada, Chautauqua, Cleveland, Michigan, Carolina, and Utah, as well as performances with the symphonies of Charlotte, Illinois, Utah, and Detroit. Favorite performances include leading roles in productions of La Bohème, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, The Turn of the Screw, Bitter Sweet, La Rondine, Countess Maritza, Giuditta, Camelot, Carousel and the title role in Hello, Dolly!. 

As stage director, she has collaborated in productions for the Moab Music Festival, Nevada Opera, Opera Southwest, The Eastman School of Music, The University of Utah, Utah Opera, Opéra Louisiane, Western Plains Opera and The Ohio Light Opera, among others. 

She can be heard on compact disc recordings for the Newport Classic, Albany Records, and Operetta Archives labels. 

Julie resides in Salt Lake City with her husband, composer John Vasconcelos Costa, and their dachshunds Rose and Timmy. She is a tenured professor of voice and served as the Voice Area Head at the University of Utah School of Music for sixteen years.