Artists

​In the 23/24 season, soprano Nicole Heinen made her company and role debut with Pensacola Opera as Despina (Così fan tutte), Adele (Die Fledermaus) and covered the titular role of  Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor). Ms. Heinen also made her Pensacola Choral Society debut as the soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah. During the 22/23 season Ms. Heinen made her debut with New Orleans Opera as the Dew Fairy (Hansel & Gretel), returned to Florentine Opera for a role debut as Despina (Così fan tutte) and made her Chautauqua Opera debut as Henrietta M. (The Mother of Us All) and covered Mukhtar Mai (Thumbprint).

Ms. Heinen won Mary Ellen Clancy Memorial Award (MIOpera Competition), the Wisconsin District  (MET Laffont Competition) and 4th place in the Mary Jacob Singer of the Year Competition. She was a finalist in the John Alexander Vocal Competition and Handel Aria Competition, semi-finalist in the Premiere Opera Foundation Competition and the Orpheus Vocal Competition.

>>Artist Website

American conductor Cody Martin was recently named Music Director at Pensacola Opera, where he was previously the Director of Education and Director of the Artists in Residence Program since 2017.  During the 2023-24 season, he leads a production of Lucia di Lammermoor and serves as associate conductor and chorus director for Die Fledermaus, in addition to continuing his work with the company’s nationally respected Jan Miller Studio Artist Program. He also appears as guest conductor for Florida State Opera‘s The Cunning Little Vixen. Recent seasons have seen Cody leading productions of Carousel, Die Zauberflöte, Don Giovanni, As One, Florencia en el Amazonas, Man of La Mancha and María de Buenos Aires in Pensacola, in addition to various concert appearances. He made his debut with Fargo-Moorhead Opera conducting Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers in 2019. Other companies Cody has enjoyed working with include Des Moines Metro Opera, Arizona Opera, Opera Birmingham, Virginia Opera, and the Janiec Opera Company at Brevard Music Center.

Cody holds degrees from Murray State University and Florida State University. He lives in Pensacola with his former shelter dog, Rosina, a corgi/dachshund mix (@rosinathelongdog).

>> Artist Website