Lyric-coloratura soprano Isabel Merat is pursuing her Bachelor's degree at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, studying with Mathilda Edge. In the summer of 2023, Isabel worked and lived for three weeks in Italy as an emerging artist at Bel Canto in Tuscany, where she performed fully-staged opera scenes portraying the roles of Donna Elvira in Mozart's Don Giovanni, Lucia in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, and Giulietta in Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffman, under the direction of program director and conductor Giovanni Reggioli. 

 

 In the 2022-2023 academic year, Isabel made her Oberlin Opera debut as Fanchette in Jacques Offenbach’s Le Mariage aux Lanternes, directed by Jonathon Field and conducted by Joseph Mechavich. She has also performed with Oberlin Opera Workshop scenes from the roles of Despina in Mozart’s Cosí fan Tutte, Papagena in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Ilia in Mozart’s Idomeneo, and Clara in Jake Heggie’s It’s a Wonderful Life.

 

Isabel’s recent engagements include a performance with Oberlin Opera Workshop and Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble as Grocer’s Wife in the world premiere of Stephen Hartke’s Rhino! She also debuted at Carnegie Hall while on tour with Oberlin performing Beethoven's 9th Symphony for the United Nations' Gala Concert and performed with Oberlin’s Baroque Ensemble as a soloist in Händel's Messiah HWV 56. Currently, Isabel obtains a part-time job as a soprano choral scholar at Christ Church Episcopal in Oberlin, Ohio. 

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Based in Queens, New York City, Isabel is proud of her Puerto Rican and Spanish ethnicity. In addition to her vocal studies, Isabel is the chair of Oberlin’s Latinx Music Union (LMU), "A cultural student organization that works to create space on campus to share Latinx culture through music." LMU was honored to bring 5x Grammy winner Alex Cuba to Oberlin’s campus as a guest artist and most recently invited singer-songwriter Lisett Morales, La Mulata del Sabor, and her orchestra to Oberlin for a concert and jam session. Isabel brings Latinx musicians and music to Oberlin’s campus to increase awareness of the beauty and talent Latinx musicians and music offer in the industry. She also adds Spanish art songs to her recital programs. 

 

Aside from music, Isabel finds interest in writing and had the honor of interviewing composer and conductor Tania León for Opera Culture News and Magazine, an international opera news company based in New York City.