The Permian Basin Opera Galas, located in Midland, Texas, are prestigious and culturally enriching events that celebrate the art of opera and the vibrant performing arts community in West Texas. These galas typically feature:
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Elegant Performances: Showcasing exceptional vocal talents from regional, national, and sometimes international opera singers, accompanied by skilled musicians.
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Sophisticated Atmosphere: Guests are immersed in a refined ambiance, often held in beautifully decorated venues that reflect the grandeur of the operatic tradition.
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Community Engagement: Serving as a cornerstone for arts advocacy in the Permian Basin, the galas bring together supporters, artists, and patrons who are passionate about keeping opera and classical music alive in the region.
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Fundraising for the Arts: The galas often act as a fundraiser to support local opera productions, educational outreach programs, and scholarships for aspiring performers.
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A Taste of West Texas Culture: Merging the elegance of opera with the unique charm of Midland, the events provide a distinct cultural experience that blends tradition with local flair.
The Permian Basin Opera Galas are more than just performances—they are a celebration of artistry and community, making them a highlight of the cultural calendar in Midland, Texas.
Featured Artists for 2026 Gala
In 2009, Soprano Anisa Kureishi was selected to perform Mahler’s 4th Symphony with conductor Darrell Ang and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra for the President and Prime Minister of Singapore in the President’s Young Performer Concert. Later in 2009, she performed as a soloist at the opening of the Singapore Resorts World Sentosa. In 2013, she was a prize winner at the Lotte Lehmann Woche in Perleberg, Germany, and continued voice studies with Angelo Raciti in Berlin.
In 2019, she completed a BA (Honors) in philosophy and physics at Harvard University, during which time she debuted the role of Zorah in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore with the Harvard Gilbert and Sullivan Players during the 2015/16 season. In May 2023, she debuted the role of Frasquita in Bizet’s Carmen with the New York-based Teatro Grattacielo in Heraklion, Greece and in July 2023, Lucia in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor at the Mediterranean Opera Studio and Festival in Caltagirone, Italy. In August 2024, she debuted Violetta Valéry in Verdi's La Traviata at the Vienna Opera Festival in Vienna, Austria. In April 2026, she appeared as Phyllis in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe with Trouper’s Light Opera in Norwalk, Connecticut.
With over twenty years of training in martial arts, Anisa Kureishi has been a faculty member for bodywork and movement training at the Lotte Lehmann Academy in Perleberg, Germany since 2015.
Nicaraguan Yamni Guevara Mezzo-Soprano, began her singing studies at the INCANTO Foundation in Managua, Nicaragua, with the Baritons’ Alberto San Jose and Jose Luis Leyton. She completed her pre university studies at the University of Costa Rica in San José, Costa Rica, with the Soprano Sofía Corrales. Then she returned to INCANTO Foundation as a soloist with the Opera Lab, having the opportunity to win a vocal improvement course at the Puccini Foundation in Torre del Lago, Italy, and receive masterclasses with distinguished maesters from Italy, Cuba, and Venezuela. She participated in the Linus Lerner International Singing Competition, finishing as a finalist in 2020 and a semifinalist in 2022. She has performed in various lyrical productions, performing opera roles such as Lola, Cavalleria Rusticana, P.Mascagni, Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni, W. Mozart, Suzuki, Madama Butterfly, G. Puccini, The Mother, Ahmal, and The Night Visitors, Menotti. Azucena, Il Trovatore, Verdi Maddalena, Rigoletto, Verdi, and Amneris, Verdi, Aida. She has performed the zarzuelas Luisa Fernanda by Federico Moreno Torriba, playing the title role, and Cecilia Valdez by Gonzalo Roig, playing the role of Isabel. As a soloist, she has performed Mozart's Requiem and Vivaldi's Gloria, as well as numerous concerts of national, lyrical, popular, and musical theater music.
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Baritone Jon 'Dirk' Ross is a Music Performance major at Angelo State University. He has earned top honors at NATS and the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition and was the recipient of the Schmidt Vocal Arts Alumni Grant. Mr. Ross has performed the leading roles of Papageno, Gianni Schicchi, Shrek, and Phantom. Ross was a Young Artist at Chicago Summer Opera, OperaMaya, and AIMS in Graz, Austria. He has also been a featured soloist with the San Angelo Symphony and the Permian Basin Opera Company
Jonathan Rhoades, tenor/baritone and new choir director at LFHS in Midland, has been frequently engaged in operas, musicals, recitals, and choral productions over the last two years, performing in 18 different productions with Opera in the Ozarks, Opera Memphis, the Rhodes Mastersingers, and the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis since August of 2023. Notable recent credits include Zuniga in Carmen, the Narrator/Mysterious Man in Into the Woods, Tony in The Most Happy Fella, and Masetto in Don Giovanni.
Jonathan Rhoades graduated in May 2025 with a Master of Music in vocal performance at the University of Memphis, where he studied with Matt Burns. In December 2020, he graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education from Oklahoma State University, where he studied with Steve Sanders.
Dr. Hyun Kyung Lee is the full-time Music Associate at First United Methodist Church in Richardson, Texas, since 2024. She previously served as Music Associate at First Presbyterian Church of Midland (2015-2023) and as an adjunct faculty member at Midland College. A versatile solo and collaborative organist and pianist, Dr. Lee’s career spans church music, choral works, chamber music, orchestral settings, and solo performances. She has performed across the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and South Korea.
Dr. Lee holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of North Texas, where she studied organ performance with Dr. Jesse Eschbach and sacred music under the late Mark Scott. She also earned a Master of Music from Elisabeth University of Music in Japan and a Bachelor of Music from Yonsei University in South Korea. As a performer, she has appeared at the American Liszt Society Festival, Hiroshima Concert, and Nagisa Organ Festival, among others. Her work has earned recognition in the Organ Journal and Kukmin Ilbo.
As a dedicated educator, Dr. Lee maintains a large studio in Dallas. Her students have earned numerous performance and academic awards, excelling in various competitions and festivals at the local, regional, national, and international levels. Notably, her students have been top prizewinners at prestigious events such as the International Chopin Competition by the Fryderyk Chopin Society of Texas, the TMTA Young Artist Performance Contests, and other national and regional piano competitions. Her students have also been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York.
