Mezzo-soprano Kendra Faith Beasley, acclaimed by Opera News for her “big voice, powerful at both extremes of the range,” made her debut at Des Moines Metro Opera in the summer of 2024. As an Apprentice Artist with DMMO, Kendra took on the dual roles of Florence McKeller/Mrs. Smithson in the world premiere of Damien Geter and Lila Palmer’s riveting opera American Apollo, which is about Thomas Eugene McKeller, a Black hotel worker who served as model and muse for famous portraitist John Singer Sargent. In 2023, Kendra captivated audiences with standout performances as Berta in Cincinnati Opera’s Il barbiere di Siviglia and Girlfriend #3 in New Orleans Opera’s Blue. In 2022, Kendra premiered the role of Raksha in the Glimmerglass Festival’s innovative adaptation of The Jungle Book, directed by Francesca Zambello. She earned an Artist Diploma from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and a master’s degree in performance from the University of Kentucky. During her Detroit Opera residency, Kendra will perform on the Detroit Opera House stage and variousother performance venues in the metro Detroit region.