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Two-time award winning
Visit Albuquerque Best of the City
2023 - Best New Business Idea
2024 - Best Theater Troupe
Our Mission
Opera on the Menu is an operatic dinner theater in Los Ranchos, NM started by singer entrepreneurs Jennifer Kuchar and Bailey Barnes.
We are curating distinctive dining experiences that converge with awe inspiring operatic performance.
By collaborating with local chefs, musicians, businesses and organizations we are making our community feel like they are a part of something greater than themselves.
As we engulf the audience in the collective effervescence of intimate live theater and unique dining experiences, we strive to challenge our collective understanding of the world.
Meet our Artists
Karah Ingraham (she) - Soprano
Karah Ingraham began her collegiate journey at the University of Northern Colorado, graduating in May 2013 with Bachelor’s degrees in both Vocal Performance and German, completing her Master’s of Music degree at the University of New Mexico in May 2019. UNM provided her the opportunity of singing with the New Mexico Philharmonic, the roles of Mrs. Grose (The Turn of the Screw) and Ruth (The Pirates of Penzance) with UNM Opera Theatre, as well as outreach scenes from Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte. She has performed in Germany with Opera Classica Europa, singing scenes and chorus from La Traviata and Die Zauberflöte.
Local ensemble credits include choruses of La Bohème, Aïda, Pagliacci, Norma, Guillaume Tell, and Lohengrin with Opera Southwest. In 2019, Karah received the Opera Southwest Award in the Vocal Artistry Division of the Vocal Artistry Art Song Festival, was a soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with the Valley Community Chorus in Alamosa, Colorado, and returned to the University of Northern Colorado in a Guest and Alumni Recital alongside Dr. Kristin Ditlow. Currently, Karah regularly performs as an artist-in-residence with Central United Methodist Church, is a staff singer with Quintessence: A Community of Singers, and is involved with Opera on Tap–NM. When not performing, Karah is a stay-at-home mother to two rambunctious daughters (3.5 and 1.5) and three ridiculous dogs.
She is excited and honored to perform with Opera on the Menu!
Jennifer Kuchar (she) - Soprano
Jennifer Kuchar is a soprano born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin. Additionally, she has received Master of Music degrees in both vocal performance and vocal pedagogy from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. Her most current operatic roles include The New Prioress from Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, Elvira from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Phyllius from Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe ,and Lady Billows from Britten’s Albert Herring.
Jennifer’s passion for teaching has also allowed her to work with students in a variety of settings. These include group voice classes for college students, a theory/music appreciation class for adolescents and many years of private voice instruction. Aside from teaching and singing, Jennifer has an aptitude for opera directing. She recently worked as assistant director for the University of New Mexico’s production of Die Zauberflöte and assistant stage-managed Opera Southwest’s production of Turandot.
Additionally, she has been able to assistant direct as well as perform abroad through the Oberlin in Italy program for three summer sessions. As a teacher, director, and performer, Jennifer is searching for students of all ages with a passion and drive to improve their music making. She looks forward to improving her instrument to better educate her students from a technical and interpretive standpoint.
Lore Alán (he/they) - Tenor
American tenor Lore Alán has received acclaim in repertoire ranging from Mozart to works by Benjamin Britten.
Lore has sung with the Opera Southwest Chorus under Maestro Aaron Howe in their recent production of Rossini’s Le Comte Ory and the New Year’s Eve Gala. They will be joining the Santa Fe Opera Auxiliary Chorus in their 2023 Festival season for Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer.
Lore has performed leading roles with UWSP Opera Workshop and UNM Opera Theatre including Alfred (Die Fledermaus), Albert Herring (Albert Herring), Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), and Monostatos (Die Zauberflöte). They made their international debut with the International Lyric Academy in Vicenza, Italy as the First Man in Armor (Die Zauberflöte). In 2022, Lore was a finalist in the Vocal Artistry Art Song Festival in New Mexico. They hold voice degrees from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point (B.M. in Voice Performance) and the University of New Mexico (M.M. in Voice Performance).
Darci Balkcom - Mezzo
As a professional performer, Darci has sung Oratorio and opera with groups such as Boulder Symphony, New Mexico Philharmonic, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, and Quintessence. In 2009, she had her international debut with La Musica Lirica in Novafeltria, Italy. Her most notable opera and musical theatre roles include Florence Pike in Albert Herring, Dido in Dido and Aeneas, Mercedes in Carmen, Terentia in Beautiful Bridegroom, Miss Pinkerton in the Old Maid and the Thief, Cherubino in Le Nozze de Figaro, and Nellie Forbush in South Pacific. Darci has been the featured mezzo soloist in Mozart’s Mass in C, Hadyn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Bach’s Magnificat, Vivaldi’s Gloria, and Bach’s Cantata 161. She is the mezzo-soprano soloist on the recording of Brad Ellingboe’s Requiem.
Darci teaches Alexander Technique and voice lessons in Albuquerque along with teaching musical theatre classes and music appreciation and the University of New Mexico. In her off time, she loves being with her family, especially her baby boy!
