Originally from the South Plains of Texas, soprano Nicole Keeling is making her mark as an emerging artist in operatic and concert work. Upcoming engagements include a role and house debut of Senta in Der fliegende Holländer with Painted Sky Opera following a cover of the role last season with Santa Fe Opera. Most recently, Nicole workshopped the role of Euridice in Nmon Ford’s new house music opera, House of Orfeus and headlined the spring concert for Big Spring Symphony Orchestra. Previously, she made her role debut as Tatiana in Eugene Onegin with Opera in the Heights and was the Soprano Soloist in Poulenc’s Gloria with University of Arkansas Little Rock. Her repertoire also includes the title role of Suor Angelica, Contessa (Le nozze di Figaro), Alice Ford (Falstaff), Mimi (La bohème), Anne Trulove (The Rake’s Progress), Madame Lidoine (Dialogues of the Carmelites), and Lady Billows (Albert Herring). She has recently appeared in concert with Big Spring Symphony, Amarillo Opera, and Michigan Opera Theater. 
Recently named the first place winner of the Opera Ithaca Competition, she is currently a semi-finalist in both the Giulio Gari International Competition and the Opera at Florham Competition. Previously, Nicole received First Prize in the Benton-Schmidt Competition, Vocal Artistry Art Song Competition, and the OU School of Music’s Concerto Competition, was a Regional Finalist in the Laffont Opera Competition, and was a finalist in both the John Alexander and Lewisville Lake Symphony Competitions.
She has been an apprentice with Santa Fe Opera, Opera Colorado, Utah Festival Opera, Lakes Area Music Festival, the San Miguel Institute of Bel Canto, and spent a summer studying under the tutelage of Marilyn Horne at Music Academy of the West. Nicole holds bachelor’s degrees from Eastern New Mexico University and a master’s in performance from the University of Oklahoma.