After an incredible showcase of talent, passion, and artistry, we are thrilled to announce that Winona Martin has won the 2025 McCammon Voice Competition! Competing against some of the most extraordinary rising opera stars, Winona captivated the judges with her breathtaking voice and performance and walked away with the first place title and $10,000 grand prize.
About Our Winner: Winona Martin
Winona is an award-winning, multi-faceted mezzo-soprano from Dallas, Texas who enjoys boot-stomping and cycling in her free time. The 2024/25 season will mark her Washington National Opera lead role debut as Laurene Powell Jobs in The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs and her house debut with Annapolis Opera as Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. In the summer of 2024, she had a successful turn as Linfea in La Calisto at The Glimmerglass Festival.
She joined Washington National Opera as a member of the Cafritz Young Artist Program in the 2023/2024 season, where she made her mainstage and role debut as Stéphano in Roméo et Juliette to rave reviews. She also appeared as Mary in The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me and Rosmira in Partenope. Winona is the 1st Prize Winner of the 35th Annual Annapolis Opera Vocal Competition and was featured in their Voices of Our Time recital series in Spring 2024. She is a Regional 3rd Place Award Winner and a three-time Regional Finalist in The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition.
A huge congratulations to our second and third place winners, Justin Burgess and Sarah Rachel Bacani! Justin, a baritone known for his powerful stage presence, earned second place and took home a well-deserved $5,000. His energetic and expressive performance left a lasting impression on the audience. Sarah, a talented soprano with a stunning vocal range and rich timbre, claimed third place and was awarded $2,000.
Justin will return to Washington National Opera in 2025 to perform the role of Paul Jobs in The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs. In Fall 2024, he will debut with Opera Las Vegas as Adraste in the world premiere of Conrad Cummings and Mark Campbell's Again & Again & Again, perform Barber’s Dover Beach with the Kennedy Center Chamber Players, and serve as the baritone soloist in Carmina Burana with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. He will also cover Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at Lyric Opera of Kansas City.
In summer 2024, he joined Des Moines Metro Opera, covering Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Last season, as a Cafritz Young Artist at Washington National Opera (WNO), he appeared as Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette, Donkey in Jeanine Tesori’s The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me, and A Mobster/The Guide in Songbird.
A Filipino-American soprano, Sarahi is currently the soprano Resident Artist at Toledo Opera, where she performs as Adèle/Spirit of the Rose in Grétry’s Beauty and the Beast and Liat in South Pacific. A former member of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program at Central City Opera, she performed the roles of Juliette (Roméo et Juliette) and Mariola in Heggie’s Two Remain.
While pursuing her master’s degree and Performer Diploma at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music under the tutelage of Jane Dutton, she performed the roles of Juliette (Roméo et Juliette), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), and Pamina (Die Zauberflöte). An accomplished competitor, she has received awards from the Young Patronesses of the Opera/Florida Grand Opera National Voice Competition, the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples International Voice Competition, the Shreveport Opera Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year Competition, and the National Society of Arts and Letters Indiana Chapter Competition.
Each year, the audience has a chance to vote for their favorite singer. We’re excited to celebrate the winner of this year’s Audience Choice Award, Rolfe Dauz! His captivating performance showcased that opera’s magic isn’t just in the music, but in the deep connection between singer and audience. Rolfe was awarded a $1,000 prize for his unforgettable performance.
Filipino-American baritone Rolfe Dauz has garnered international acclaim for his "focused baritone, perfect diction, and dramatic acting” (Calgary Herald) and “warm, flexible singing made for rewarding listening” (Classical Voice North America).
For the 2024/25 season, Rolfe will be seen as Der Lautsprecher in Viktor Ullmann's Der Kaiser von Atlantis with New World Symphony, Escamillo in Bizet’s Carmen at both Virginia Opera and Florentine Opera, Trio Member in Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti with Annapolis Opera, Curio in Händel’s Giulio Cesare at the Hudson Valley Opera House, and Larry Itliong in the world premiere of Dolores with West Edge Opera and San Diego Opera.
His vocal-piano duo with Lithuanian pianist Gabrielė Žemaitytė was awarded 2nd prize at the 2021 International Copenhagen Lied-Duo Competition, and he also performed a livestream recital at the Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ under the auspices of the Grote Zangers Recital Series.
2025 Jill and Charles Fischer Award Recipients: the late Louise Britt Carvey and Dr. John E. Forestner
At the McCammon, we had the privilege of honoring the late Louise Britt Carvey and Dr. John E. Forestner with the prestigious Jill and Charles Fischer Award for their exceptional service and dedication to the Fort Worth Opera community. We are deeply grateful for their tireless contributions and unwavering support of the arts.
The Jill and Charles Fischer Award celebrates individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service and dedication to Fort Worth Opera, honoring the incredible legacy of Charles Kennedy Fischer and his wife, Jill Fischer.
Charles Kennedy Fischer (1926–2017) was a visionary leader in the oil field equipment manufacturing industry. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he pursued higher education at the University of Notre Dame and Stanford before making a lasting impact at Harvest and Fischer Manufacturing Company, a business his father co-founded in 1933. His career was defined by innovation, leadership, and integrity, and his commitment to community service was equally remarkable. Charles was a devoted member of the Fort Worth Opera Board of Trustees, leaving an enduring mark on the organization.
Jill Fischer has been a passionate advocate for the arts and a cornerstone of Fort Worth Opera. As a long-serving board member and Chair Emerita, her visionary leadership has played a vital role in the company's success. Together, Jill and Charles raised a loving family—three sons, Charles, David, and Patrick, and a daughter, Theresa—instilling in them the values of service, generosity, and a deep appreciation for the arts.
The Jill and Charles Fischer Award is a testament to their unwavering dedication to Fort Worth’s cultural vitality. It serves as a tribute to their remarkable contributions and ensures that their legacy of support for the arts continues for generations to come.
Special Thanks to Our Competitors, Judges, Volunteers, and Attendees
As the lovely host and past McCammon Voice Competition winner, Jennifer Chung Quintard, said in her introduction, “It really does take a village.” We would be remiss if we did not express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made this year’s competition a truly unforgettable celebration of vocal artistry—everyone from our impressive contestants to the preliminary, semi-final, and esteemed final round judges, as well as the talented pianists, invaluable behind-the-scenes managers from TCU Opera, our wonderful board of trustees, dedicated volunteer ushers, and enthusiastic audience members. A special thank-you to The Kimbell Art Museum and its staff for hosting us once again.
Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2025 McCammon Voice Competition! Read more about the competition and its history here.
