The Dallas Opera named Italian-American soprano Marina Costa-Jackson its 2017 “Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year” award winner. This award, named after one of the most renowned opera artists of the 20^th century, is given to a single performer each season in recognition of a particularly memorable and outstanding company debut.

Born in Las Vegas, but raised in Palermo, Italy, Costa-Jackson initially resisted the idea of following in the footsteps of two successful sisters who sing opera.  That changed when she was admitted into the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia and advanced through various competitions to become the Metropolitan Opera National Council winner (2015), winner of the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation International Vocal Competition (2015), and the second place winner of the 2016 Operalia.