Cristina Bakhoum Sanchez is an acclaimed American soprano, renowned for her powerful voice and dynamic character portrayals. Her Afro-Latina heritage, combining Egyptian and Mexican roots, has endowed her with a natural ear for languages and a deep love for diverse cultures.

Cristina’s season began with the U.S. premiere of Scott Eyerly’s comic opera, My Life Online. In this one-act performance, she brilliantly portrayed Kay, an immigration lawyer who emerges from self-imposed isolation to confront a crisis involving a child she has never met.

Last season saw Cristina debuting two significant roles: Countess Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro with Mobile Opera and The Foreign Princess in Rusalka with Opera Orlando. Her versatility was further showcased in Winter Opera St. Louis’ The Desert Song, where she brought the character of Clementina to life with sass and vigor.

In 2022, Cristina originated the role of Roya in Niloufar Nourbakhsh’s We The Innumerable, co-produced by the Center for Contemporary Opera and National Sawdust. This groundbreaking production, featured on PBS, narrates the heroic journey of an Iranian woman standing up against state-sanctioned violence. Her performance was praised as “rich-voiced, dramatic and moving” (PBS Featured segment).

Cristina’s adaptability was evident in Opera Orlando’s production of Rigoletto, where she not only performed as Giovanna but also stepped in as Countess Ceprano with just a day’s notice. Her talent shone brightly in the first-ever staged production of Richard Strauss’ Four Last Songs (Vier letzte Lieder) in New York City, directed by Jennifer Williams. This interactive, multimedia experience highlighted her exquisite talent and the future of immersive theater.

Her portrayal of Mimì in Puccini’s La Bohème with Indianapolis Opera was hailed as “remarkably expressive…not just from the standpoint of her powerful vocal performance, but also her heartbreaking portrayal of tragic Mimì.” She later reprised this iconic role with First Coast Opera in St. Augustine, Florida.

Throughout her career, Cristina has performed a wide array of roles, including Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Dorabella in Cosí fan tutte, La Suora Zelatrice in Suor Angelica, Flora in La Traviata, Fermina in Man of la Mancha, Amante in Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse, Pitti-Sing in The Mikado, and title roles in La Périchole, Dido and Aeneas, and Bizet’s Carmen. Her repertoire also includes Amastre in Handel’s Serse, Thelma in Musto’s Later the Same Evening, Annio in La Clemenza di Tito, and Juno in Orpheus in the Underworld.

Cristina holds a Graduate Diploma from the New England Conservatory of Music, where she studied under the renowned opera singer Luretta Bybee. She also earned a Master of Music from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Music from Loyola University New Orleans.