Soprano Francesca Federico was born in Paris, France and is based in New York City. She was recently named a 2020-2021 Fulbright Scholar for the Arts, and will pursue a research and performance residency in Limerick, Ireland, focusing on the origins of Irish traditional music in 20th century English-language art song. She made her professional European debut in the 2020-21 season with Wexford Festival Opera, performing the role of Alice Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff in their inaugural Young Artist division, the Wexford Factory. Other scheduled engagements in the 2019-20 season included returning to Fresh Squeezed Opera to premiere Jillian Flexner’s opera, Self Defined Circuits, as Voice 5, and joining the dell’Arte Opera summer festival “Love for Truth,” covering the roles of Condesa and Sor Andrea in Carla Lucero’s opera Juana, with libretto by Alicia Gaspar de Alba. She appeared in concert with the Children’s Philharmonic of New Jersey, as Pamina in their mainstage production of Die Zauberflöte. She was also named a finalist in the Vermont Vocal competition, and for The American Prize. Highlights of her 2018-19 season included her debut at the Rose Theater at Lincoln Center with the Teatro Nuovo bel canto festival under the baton of Maestro Will Crutchfield, where she covered the role of Ninetta in Rossini’s La gazza ladra, and joined their production of Bellini’s La Straniera; a company debut with Bronx Opera, performing the role of Anna Gomez in Menotti’s The Consul, and being named the winner of a 2018 opera grant from the Anna Sosenko Assist Trust.