Florida L’Opera & Zarzuela’s core leadership—Dr. Jared Peroune, Lucia Panizza, and Taylor Coughlin—forms the heart of our visionary team. United by a shared passion for Opera and Zarzuela, they count on the support of a dedicated network of volunteers and talented performers who bring our mission to life. Together, we strive to enrich the cultural fabric of our community by fostering artistic excellence, promoting musical heritage, and creating meaningful, accessible performance experiences for all.
Hailing from Georgetown, Guyana, Jared Peroune holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in collaborative piano from the University of Miami. A ubiquitous keyboardist throughout South Miami, he has collaborated with many esteemed vocalists, instrumentalists, and organizations in the area. Jared is also an experienced harpsichordist and continuo organist. In the vocal world, Jared is a seasoned répétiteur, vocal coach, accompanist, and chorus master. He is currently the Studio Artist Program Manager, Chorus Master, and pianist-coach at Florida Grand Opera, staff pianist-coach at Florida International University, and piano faculty at Barry University in Miami Shores. Aside from his work as a keyboardist, Jared has built a career singing principal and supporting roles in opera and has sung in venues across the globe as a chorister.
.
Lucia Panizza is a Uruguayan-American soprano with a strong dual background in music and business. She holds a Master of Music from Longy School of Music of Bard College, a BM from University of Florida, where she graduated with the highest honors, and an MBA with concentration in Accounting and Finance. Her foundational music education took place at Uruguay’s Escuela Nacional de Arte Lírico, SODRE, and Escuela de Música Vicente Ascone. She received two full scholarships from the Uruguayan Association of Musicians (SUDEI) and was selected for the summer program at Teatro Colón’s Instituto Superior in Buenos Aires. In the U.S., Lucia has performed with The Opera Atelier, Miami Lyric Opera, Miami Classical Music Festival, Florida Opera Prima, and La Zarzuela Inc. She has participated in international summer programs such as the European Music Institute in Vienna and the Russian Opera Workshop, and has trained with esteemed artists including Francisco Araiza, Frederica von Stade, Deborah Voigt, and Jake Heggie. The soprano currently resides in Boston, MA, where she performs regularly with local nonprofit organizations.
Taylor Coughlin is a multidisciplinary creative and technical professional, serving as a Product Developer and Manager, Systems Engineer, and innovative Composer, Writer, and Multi-Instrumentalist. With a career spanning over a decade, Taylor has worked extensively as a freelance music, video, and audio producer and editor, contributing his talents to a wide range of media and marketing campaigns across diverse industries. His unique blend of artistic vision and technical acumen has been instrumental in the development, branding, and digital outreach of Florida L’Opera & Zarzuela, helping to shape the organization’s public presence and expand its impact.