AVA Resident Artists Ryan Wornall and Jacob Hanes Named Win at Opera Index Vocal Competition

November 9, 2026

Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) Resident Artists Ryan Wornall and Jacob Hanes have been named winners of Opera Index’s 2026 Vocal Competition. Both singers received awards recognizing their achievements and potential as emerging opera artists.

A second-year bass, Wornall received the $5,000 Gasperec/Shaulis Memorial Award. Originally from Lenexa, Kansas, Wornall joined AVA after earning his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Kansas. During his residency, he has performed several roles, including Dr. Bartolo in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Haushofmeister in Strauss’s Capriccio, Capellio in Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi, and the title role in Verdi’s Falstaff. He will also appear as Dr. Dulcamara in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore.

Third-year baritone Jacob Hanes received the $3,000 Kozlowski/Stovin Memorial Award. A native of Arlington, Texas, Hanes holds a Master of Music degree from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Austin College. His AVA performances include Guglielmo in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Wagner in Gounod’s Faust, Olivier in Strauss’s Capriccio, and Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff. He will appear as Belcore in AVA’s production of L’elisir d’amore.

The Opera Index Vocal Competition awards grants to emerging opera singers to support their professional development and advancement in the field. Wornall and Hanes will be recognized alongside the other competition winners at the Opera Index Annual Gala on February 1, 2027.