After the riotous critical success of her role debut as Lulu, the “grandiose soprano” (FAZ) has been nominated for both prestigious German Theater Prize Der Faust for her portrayal of Lulu, and Opus Klassik’s Singer of the Year for her interpretation of Bubikopf in her recording of Der Kaiser von Atlantis. Juliana was featured on the cover of the May 2023 edition of Opernwelt Magazine.

This season on the operatic stage she sings Najade in Ariadne auf Naxos at Opernhaus Zürich directed by Andreas Homoki, makes her role debut as Zerbinetta Ariadne auf Naxos in a new production with the Nederlandse Reisopera, and debuts the role of Shoko in a new production of Thomas Larcher’s Das Jagdgewehr at the Bayerische Staatsoper (Cuvilliés Theater) directed by Ulrike Schwab. She makes her house debut at Theater Bonn as Adina in a new production of L’elisir d’amore and also returns to Staatstheater Darmstadt for a revival of the same title.

In concert this season, she performs a New Years Gala with the Scottish Chamber Orchesrta, a world premiere with the Copenhagen Philharmonic by Matias Vestergård titled Melodrama and gives a recital with pianist Marlene Heiss at the Berlin Philharmonie. She recently debuted with the Münchener Kammerorchester under Nacho de Paz singing Wir tönen allein by Gloria Coates. In June, she sang the Cheshire Cat in concert version of Unsuk Chin’s Alice in Wonderland at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam under the baton of Markus Stenz as part of their prestigious Saturday Matinee series. Last season she made her North American debut at Carnegie Hall (Zankel) singing Unsuk Chin’s Puzzles and Games for soprano and orchestra with the Sejong Soloists under Earl Lee.

Her recent role debuts have included Olympia in Les contes d’Hoffmann and Morgana in Alcina for Staatstheater Darmstadt where she was a member of the ensemble (2021-2024). Other recent operatic highlights include her role debut as Najade in Robert Carsen’s production of Ariadne auf Naxos with the Bayerische Staatsoper, and her role and house debut at Nationaltheater Mannheim as Belinda in Dido and Aeneas.

An enthusiastic interpreter of 20th/21st century repertoire, other recent contemporary highlights include her role debut as Tinkerbell in a world premiere of Peter Pan by Frank Schwemmer with the Luxembourg Philharmonic, György Ligeti’s Mysteries of the Macabre and Nouvelles Aventures with Patrick Hahn conducting the Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra, the world premiere of Transstimme, a full-length opera for only one singer and one actor, by Fabià Santcovsky at the invitation of the Munich Biennale as well as the world premiere of Singularity by Miroslav Srnka at the Bayerische Staatsoper (Cuvilliés Theater) with the Klangforum Wien. She also covered the title role in the world premiere of Girl with the Pearl Earring at Opernhaus Zürich.

In spring 2023, the Opercussion ensemble of the Bayerische Staatsorchester released their award nominated debut album Original Grooves on which Juliana sang their ultimate track “Gracias a la vida.” The recording of Der Kaiser von Atlantis (BR Klassik) was nominated by Opus Klassik for Best Opera Recording featuring Juliana Zara and conductor Patrick Hahn leading the Munich Radio Orchestra.

From 2019-2021, Juliana was a member of the Opernstudio at the Bayerische Staatsoper and sang roles such as Frasquita (Carmen), Philine (Mignon) and Mercedes (Schön ist die Welt) as well as Luciano Berio’s Sequenza III. Her repertoire includes Ophelia (Hamlet), Blonde (Entführung aus dem Serail), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Norina (Don Pasquale), Isotta (Die Schweigsame Frau), Fiakermilli (Arabella), Philippe (Der Teufel von Loudun), Adele (Die Fledermaus), Griet (Girl with a Pearl Earring), Cunegonde (Candide), and Chief of Gepopo/Venus (Le Grand Macabre).

She is graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” in Berlin.