Vinícius Costa da Silva never planned to become opera’s favorite dark presence. Offstage, he’s warm, joyful, quick to  laugh. Onstage, the 6’3″, curly-bearded Brazilian commands priests, rogues, and powerful men  with effortless authority. That contrast — sunlight personality, shadow roles — is part of the  intrigue. And so, Brazil’s 2026 winning streak continues with a São Paulo native commanding the stage at LA Opera’s epic production of Akhnaten direccted by Philip Glass.

Costa’s journey from São Paulo’s working-class East Zone to LA Opera feels like destiny with a  strong assist from grit. The path wasn’t linear. It rarely is. 

Like many musicians, it began with curiosity. Costa was first drawn to the “funny-looking”  French horn, fascinated by its shape. The real turning point happened somewhere far less  glamorous — a school restroom. A classmate overheard him singing and told the choir master,  “He can sing!” Costa was suddenly doing solos. 

“Back then, I was just a curious kid trying different things. But after I sang for the choir master,  that’s when I found my true voice.” Support followed — slowly, then fully. 

“I had a very good family: my mom Marina Costa, brother Pedro were big supporters and my  father Zorandir Ramos — after a while when he realized that I could make some beautiful sound,  he got courage enough to come and listen to me then he started supporting me also.” 

From choir boy to opera stages, Costa’s trajectory reads like a sequence of doors opening — each earned. Mentors guided him from Brazil to Basel, where he completed bachelor, master’s  and post-master’s degrees, before arriving at LA Opera’s Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist  Program. Akhnaten marks his fifth LA Opera role — with more ahead. 

Two early figures remain foundational: Maria Lúcia Waldow and retired baritone-turned-teacher Francisco Campos. 

“I treat them like Sensei,” Costa says, recalling lessons after school and how Campos would feed  him when he arrived hungry. Waldow’s message was constant: discipline, standards, no  shortcuts. “She was always telling me you don’t sacrifice quality!”  And: “You have to practice — a lot!” 

Costa smiles. “They not only taught me to sing but taught me what it means to be a  professional.” 

That seriousness toward craft defines him. Costa doesn’t approach roles technically — he  approaches them anthropologically. Languages, history, psychology — all part of the  preparation. German, French, Italian, Spanish, English — and the cultural codes behind them.

“Opera isn’t just about hitting the right notes — it’s about understanding the meaning behind the  words,” Costa said. “When I sing in a new language, I dive deep into its culture. I watch films,  listen to native speakers, to immerse myself as much as possible. I want to give the character the  depth it deserves.”  It shows. 

Whether as Aye in Akhnaten — father of Nefertiti and advisor to the Pharaoh — the Duke in Roméo et Juliette, or the Speaker in The Magic Flute, Costa specializes in dimensional authority.  Villains with interior life. Power with psychology. 

“The bass is often the villain, but I don’t play him as just evil. I try to find what makes him tick,  what makes him real.” 

Offstage, the intensity softens. Costa remains disarmingly grounded — curious, hardworking,  visibly grateful. The Young Artist Program at LA Opera plays a major role in that evolution. 

“LA Opera has been an amazing place to grow,” he says. “Everyone here does their job at such a  high level, and we’re treated with so much respect. It’s a place where artists are encouraged to be  their best, but they also feel supported. It’s been the perfect environment to learn and improve.” 

And yet, the perspective remains intact. 

“I never expected to be here,” Costa says. “I grew up in a place where classical music was rare.  But thanks to opportunities like the Guri Santa Marcelina program, which brought music into  communities that lacked access, I was able to find my path. Music was never ‘supposed’ to be a  part of my life, but now it’s everything.” 

Representation matters — and Costa understands the symbolism. 

“I’m incredibly proud to represent my country. Brazilian culture is rich, vibrant, and full of heart,  and I feel like the world is finally recognizing it.” 

The next chapter is already unfolding. This season includes Falstaff, one of his favorites. “It’s just so joyful, so playful, and it has some of the most beautiful music. I’ve always wanted to  be a part of it, and now I get to live that dream.” 

Looking ahead, Costa is drawn to roles with philosophical weight — darker edges, psychological  complexity, the devilish spectrum opera does so well.  Which brings us back to the title: Sweet Villainy. 

For Vinícius Costa da Silva, the tension between warmth and shadow isn’t a contradiction. It’s  the instrument. And LA Opera audiences are just beginning to hear its full range.

Akhnaten returns after 10 years to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, with performances running from February 28 to March 22, 2026. This revival features countertenor John Holiday in the title role and is conducted by Dalia Stasevska in her company debut

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By Judi Jordon for LATIN HEAT

In Spain, the legacy of poet, playwright and political martyr Federico García Lorca (1898–1936) is ever-present—etched into the hearts of artists across generations. Liberal, openly gay, and vocal supporter of the Spanish Republic, Lorca was executed without trial by firing squad at the Andalusian natural spring, Ainadamar; Arabic for “Fountain of Tears”. Lorca’s physical body was never found but his magnificent work; poetry, drama, and prose includes over a dozen major plays, including the iconic Blood Wedding (1933), Yerma (1934), and The House of Bernarda Alba (1936)—a trilogy that delves into themes of repression, honor, and female agency in Andalusian society. His poetry “Gypsy Ballads” (1928) and “Poet in New York” (published posthumously in 1940) deftly blend Gitano and modern concepts, with symbolism, passion and Andalusian visions. 

Lorca’s Spanish romanticism and avant-garde surrealism are an integral force in 20th-century literature. A perfect subject for OPERA as song and dance were such a huge part of Lorca’s life canvas. Today his tragic end has a chilling resonance, one felt profoundly in L.A. OPERA’S masterful production of Ainadamar. And there was only one man to translate this legacy into dance Antonio Najarro. 

Much-awarded, the delightful Najarro is a notorious perfectionist and Mr. 110%. “When auditioning dancers he looks for the ‘complete package’ and may see 500 dancers to find just one that can fluidly execute his unique vision; in Ainadamar that translates to ballet, flamenco and modern dance, all seamlessly woven into the narrative. 

For Spanish superstar, choreographer and former director of Ballet National of Spain, Antonio Najarro, Lorca’s work isn’t merely an influence; it’s a spiritual force, a cultural flame that continues to inspire across borders and mediums. After an impressively smooth tech rehearsal in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, perfectionist Najarro took a breath and a break to share his passion for Lorca, teamwork, crafting unforgettable dance, and what drives him to the edge. 

Collaborating with conductor Lina González-Granados on Ainadamar, Najarro found an ideal partner—open, intuitive, and rhythmically attuned to flamenco’s complex timing. “It’s not easy for an orchestra to follow flamenco,” he says. “But Lina embraced every challenge. She loves dance, and that makes everything easier.”

“Every artist in Spain, at some point, ‘touches’ Lorca,” Najarro says. “We are always speaking about him—his poetry, his thinking. He left his message open to interpretation. You can do many versions of his poems, and I love that.” Najarro recently returned from a sold-out run in Madrid with his namesake dance company’s critically acclaimed production, Romance Sonámbulo at Teatro MIRA de Pozuelo de Alarcón in Madrid, inspired by one of Lorca’s most haunting poems. 

For Ainadamar Najarro leans into Lorca’s dreamlike mysticism, crafting a spiritual, non-terrestrial piece that seduces audiences through night, moonlight, and mystery. “It’s not traditional,” he explains. “It’s something deeper—more emotional, more expressive.”

Najarro’s undeniable artistry incorporates and punctuates the subtle and surreal tone perfectly as Ainadamar portrays Lorca’s final days and his impassioned yet doomed relationship with actress Margarita Xirgu. 

Directed by Brazilian choreographer Deborah Colker, the opera has traveled from Glasgow and Detroit to the Metropolitan Opera and now to Los Angeles. “This opera is not only about Lorca’s life—it’s about emotion,” Najarro says.  “The singers dance, the dancers act, everything is expression.”

Expression is the engine of Najarro’s philosophy—tempered always by rigorous technique. Whether it’s flamenco, ballet, or contemporary dance, his performers are required to master diverse movement styles with both precision and passion. “For my company, dancers must be very versatile,” he explains. “My choreography is elegant, technical, but it must also be pure. I need their footwork, their castanet technique—it’s like playing an instrument.” Working in harmony with Grammy-winning composer Osvaldo Golijov, Najarro emphasized the importance of understanding the emotional reasoning behind each composition.

Instrumentality comes alive in Ainadamar, particularly in the striking opening solo piece that blends flamenco footwork with modern movement atop a table, backed by flamenco percussion and electronic soundscapes. “It’s the bullfight,” Najarro says. “The strength, the risk, the image of the bull. Lorca loved that tension between life and death. That’s what this choreography is.”

Tickets at https://laopera.org/performances/2025/ainadamar

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