​Ilene Pabon

Ilene Pabon, is an “extremely talented” (Papercut Magazine) Puerto-Rican mezzo-soprano and actor who sings both Opera and Musical Theater.



A champion of new music, Ilene has had the pleasure of performing works by many living composers.  The 2023-2024 season began with the role of Nadia in the world premiere of The Night Falls, a dance driven Opera with a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize finalist, Karen Russell, and music and lyrics by Ellis Ludwig-Leone with direction and choreography by Troy Schumacher (NYC Ballet, Ballet Collective) presented at Peak Performances.

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In the 2021-2022 season Ilene was an emerging artist at Charlottesville Opera and followed this fellowship with another premiere of the new opera, The Trojan Women, in which she played Andromache, written by Sarah Taylor Ellis and presented at the Lenfest Center for the Arts in NYC. Her favorite opera roles include Nicklausse/Muse in The Tales of Hoffmann with St. Petersburg Opera, Laura in Iolanta, and Mercedes in Carmen.

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Ilene is equally at home with musical theater.  In the 2018-2019 season she performed the role of Lourdes in the new musical Gershwin's 'Real Magic' with Inside Broadway which toured throughout the New York City area.  Favorite musical theater roles include Rosalia in West Side Story, Little Red and Florinda in Into the Woods, and the National Tour of Cirque Dreams Holidaze.

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At home with collaboration she worked with producer Brad Walsh on the Christian Siriano Fall/Winter runway music for New York Fashion Week inspired by Russian Opera.  Their musical collaboration received great acclaim by publications such as MTV style, Papercut magazine and fashionista.

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​Ilene completed her Masters of Music degree at the University of Maryland, College Park in Opera Performance as a member of the prestigious Maryland Opera Studio, where she studied with Delores Ziegler.  Past vocal coaches and teachers include Doris Yarick-Cross, Dr. Sherry Overholt, and Leon Major.  Ilene currently resides in New York City.



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Photo by Cory Weaver