Zuly Inirio

Dr. Zuly Inirio is an Afro-Latina Dominican-American soprano, scholar, and TEDx speaker, originally from the Dominican Republic and currently based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is known for her advocacy in promoting Afro-Latinidad within classical music. As the founder of the Afro-Latinx Song & Opera Project, she has commissioned new works from Afro-Latin composers and championed underrepresented voices in the classical canon.

Her performance credits include Verdi's Requiem in Munich and Aida in Sicily. Dr. Inirio has collaborated with esteemed institutions such as Lincoln Center, Duolingo, and Carnegie Mellon University, and she is affiliated with organizations like NALAC, 1Hood’s Artivist Academy, The Scale Fellowship, Opera America’s Opera Leaders of Color, and SphinxLEAD.

She is also the founder of Zuly Inirio Consulting, a human-centered consulting practice offering holistic executive coaching, career transition support, and strengths-based leadership development, with a focus on advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility (DEIBA) across the arts and beyond. Through this work, she partners with individuals and organizations to foster collaborative cultures and sustainable change.

Dr. Inirio recently served as a resident artist at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, where she developed and premiered La voz que soy, a powerful exploration of identity and resilience that was met with critical acclaim and sold-out performances. With a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) from Louisiana State University and a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Inirio integrates her artistic and community-driven influences into her international and domestic work, advocating for equity and inclusion in classical music. She continues to perform, speak, and collaborate on projects that reflect the cultural richness of Afro-Latinx communities and broader social justice movements.