Colombian-American soprano Ella Torres performs diverse song, choral, operatic, and early music repertoires.

She particularly enjoys interpreting off-the-beaten-path art songs, Lieder by women composers, and contemporary American works. Ella also loves to collaborate with historical instrumentalists and is particularly fond of Dowland lute songs.

Recent performances include Serpetta in Mozart’s La finta giardiniera (Indiana University (IU) Opera Theatre), Second Woman in Dido and Aeneas (IU Summer Chorus), Princess Dora in Lori Laitman’s The Three Feathers (Opera Steamboat), and Erste Dame in Die Zauberflöte (Chicago Summer Opera).

—

Growing up in Wilmette, Illinois, Ella was immersed in music. As a young child, she sang at home, at church, in the grocery store – pretty much everywhere. At least, that is what her parents tell her. Ella’s formal music training began with the violin at age 5. She started taking voice lessons at 12. After formative experiences at Interlochen Arts Camp, ArtsBridge Summer, and the Curtis Institute of Music, she decided to pursue music in college.

—

Ella earned her B.M. in voice from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester, studying with Katherine Ciesinski. With Eastman Opera Theatre, she performed Polyxo in Kate Soper’s Here Be Sirens (Suite), Despina in Così fan tutte scenes, as a featured soloist in Our Voices: Ricky Ian Gordon’s Heart Melodies, and in the ensemble of Joseph Bologne’s L’amant anonyme. She also performed frequently with Collegium Musicum, Eastman’s early music ensemble.

Currently, Ella is pursuing her master’s in voice at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, studying with Carol Vaness. Her most recent performance with Indiana University Opera Theatre was Serpetta in Mozart’s La finta giardiniera. She has performed in the opera chorus of Ainadamar and L’Étoile. Ella also participates in many choral activities at Indiana. She has sung with the Early Music Student Society, Voices of Concentus, in Conductors’ Chorus, and Compline. She is a current ensemble member of the new music vocal ensemble NOTUS, directed by Dr. Dominick DiOrio.

—

In addition to voice, Ella has a passion for performing arts leadership. She currently is the Media Specialist on the Student Leadership Team of the Office of Entrepreneurship and Career Development at the Jacobs School of Music. She previously interned for Fifth House Ensemble (Chicago, IL) and The Hochstein School (Rochester, NY).

While at Eastman, Ella earned an Arts Leadership Certificate through the acclaimed Institute for Music Leadership. Ella was also a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar and attended their 2021 Media and Entertainment Summit.

Ella is a proud alumna of Sigma Alpha Iota. She was the recipient of her chapter’s collegiate award and a summer scholarship. She is also a collegiate initiate of the music honor society Pi Kappa Lambda.

In her free time, Ella enjoys travel, board games, and anything to do with Buffy the Vampire Slayer.