ABOUT
Bolivian soprano Shelén Hughes Camacho began her artistic journey as a Bolivian folklore singer and dancer in Cochabamba before pursuing classical music. A graduate of The Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music, she has established herself as a versatile artist across opera, concert, and recital repertoire.
Ms. Hughes Camacho is a winner of the 2025 George and Nora London Foundation Competition, the 2024 Opera Index Competition, First Prize at the 2024 Gerda Lissner Zarzuela Competition, and Third Prize at the 2025 Gerda Lissner Opera Competition. She was also a semifinalist in the 2026 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. Additional distinctions include finalist appearances in the Renata Tebaldi and Ottavio Ziino International Competitions, as well as semifinalist recognition at the Concours de Genève and the Alfredo Kraus Competition.
Recent operatic highlights include her debut with Oper Frankfurt as Morgana in Handel's Alcina, her debut with The Cleveland Orchestra as soprano soloist in Orff's Carmina Burana, and Musetta in La bohème with Opera Saratoga, where she returns to sing Adina in L'elisir d'amore. Other notable roles include Pamina in Die Zauberflöte at the Teatro Nacional de Chile, Servilia in La clemenza di Tito at Juilliard, and Pfc. Sonia Gonzales in Huang Ruo's An American Soldier at the Perelman Performing Arts Center in New York.
In 2026, Ms. Hughes Camacho appeared at Carnegie Hall as soprano soloist in Handel's Alexander's Feast with the Oratorio Society of New York. An avid recitalist, she has appeared as a guest artist at the Cliburn and recently presented A Love Letter to the Americas at Lincoln Center, an original recital program celebrating the rich musical traditions of North and South America.
She made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2019 and has participated in prestigious young artist programs including the Gstaad Menuhin Festival and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, where she appeared in Carmen and the world premiere of Awakenings.
Beyond the stage, Ms. Hughes Camacho is the founder of Voices for Bolivia, a nonprofit organization dedicated to using music in service of protecting the human rights of elderly individuals living in poverty.
My Why
There is a fine line between living an ordinary life and an extraordinary life. It seems to me that an extraordinary life is one spiced up by spontaneous moments, company that makes you happy, and being in a constant state of absorption. The artist lives an extraordinary life by default, as our role in society is to kindle a light through our storytelling so to make the world a more human place.
I strive to not take anything for granted, to be bold and to expose the unanswered questions we hide. I am committed to using my voice to push boundaries in order to create change. Change in me, in you and step by step, change in the world.
