Susan Samudio
She began her musical studies at the National Institute of Music in 2009 under the guidance of Professor María Urriola. She is currently in her fifth year of the Advanced Music Program, with a focus on opera singing, at the same institution, and is supplementing her training with private lessons from American soprano Irena Sylya at the Panama Opera Foundation.
Has participated in master classes with renowned vocalists, including the Panamanian soprano Marianne Blok, who is based in the Netherlands; the Guatemalan baritone Luis Girón May (R.I.P.); the soprano Elizabeth Bice Cavalli (Austria); as well as the conductors Elio Orcioulo (Italy) and Martin Yazdzik (United States).
Part of the choir for renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli’s concert, she was also invited to perform as a soloist in a tribute to Panamanian composer Ricardo Risco.
Among her most notable roles are Adina in the concert performance of scenes from Gaetano Donizetti’s *L’elisir d’amore* (2012) and Leonora in *Il Trovatore* at the “Viva Verdi” concert (2013). She also performed as a soloist at the Opera Live concert (2014), held at the National Theater and organized by the Panama Lyric Group Association.
In addition, she appeared in the role of Sacerdotessa in the opera *Aida*, performed at the Anayansi Theater, and has been a soloist in productions such as *Gloria in Excelsis Deo* (2013, Anayansi Theater), *Ópera Etc* (2013–2014), and *Carmen y otros Gitanos* (National Theater, 2014), all organized by the Panama Opera Foundation.