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It was just under a year ago. On the stage of the Opéra Bastille in Paris, Winona Vettraino Berry was crowned winner of the Voix des Outre-mer competition, before a panel of opera experts and personalities. On Wednesday January 8, the student from the Bordeaux Conservatory once again performed at this renowned venue, but this time with the status of winner. Just before the awards ceremony, the lyric singer performed La Danse Bohème, an excerpt from Georges Bizet's opera Carmen. A red rose in her hair and wearing a long black dress, Winona charmed the audience with her playful performance.
It felt funny coming back," Winona says. I went with less stress than for a competition, of course, but with the same commitment, and I was very happy because I was finally singing a woman's role. I got to wear a dress! "Despite her poor choice of necklace - too tight for singing - the winner caught the attention of some of the opera directors in the audience, before giving way to the prize-giving ceremony. "I was so happy to be able to see it all again," adds Winona, who was reunited with the Voix des Outre-mer team, like family to her.
A made-to-measure melody
Thanks to the contest, Winona has had many opportunities over the past year. It was huge," exclaims the student in her usual outspoken way. On a personal level, it boosted my confidence and made me feel more legitimate. "In her professional career, this victory brought her media visibility, as she was able to take part in three television programs on France Télévisions. Winona also gained access to the competition organizers' address book, as well as their advice, such as applying to the Génération Opéra program, which she followed.
Following a national audition, the mezzo-soprano was selected alongside nine other opera singers to join this association's class of 2025-2026 (JSB 1594). For two years, the singer will be able to benefit from the promotion organized by Génération Opéra, made up of the leading opera directors in France, Switzerland and Belgium. "It's like a career booster," sums up Winona. She will also benefit from financial assistance to take part in competitions abroad, a professional recording of three performances and the creation of a personalized melody. It's magical," Winona marvels. Someone is going to create a custom melody for my voice! "
A CFA for opera singers
The support offered by Génération Opéra is not a full-time commitment. Winona still has a few months left to complete her six-year training at the Conservatoire Régional de Bordeaux. Fairly confident about the final exam, the student is already considering the next step in her career: she would like to join the professional training course at the Centre d'art Lyrique de la Méditerranée in Nice. "The first thing that attracts me there is the sun - it reminds me of Saint-Barth," she says with amusement.
This structure, the only one of its kind in France, boasts a very high employability rate for its trainees on completion of their training. Founded by singers Elizabeth Vidal and André Cignet, CALM offers trainees the opportunity to take part in one concert a month, as well as to obtain the status of "intermittent du spectacle". "I could get paid for what I do," enthuses Winona. The student also hopes to continue her musicology degree at the same time, in order to obtain a bac+3 diploma. At the age of 23, Winona is pulling out all the stops to "stand on her own two feet".
