Molly Mustonen

Finnish-American actor/soprano Molly Mustonen has been hailed by The New York Times for her “powerful sound and striking stage presence,” as she continues to garner critical acclaim throughout the United States and Europe for her ‘strong singing and acting’ (Huffington Post) and versatility across all genres of music.

A Minnesota native, Ms. Mustonen was lauded by Opera News as “a real talent” and praised for her “sensitive, nuanced portrayal” of Nina in the New York premiere of Thomas Pasatieri’s revised opera, The Seagull. Ms. Mustonen reprised the role of Nina as a winner of the Armel International Opera Festival and Competition, this European Premiere performance was broadcast to over 40 countries and to more than a million online subscribers, live from Hungary’s National Theatre.

“A fine singing actress” (New York Concert Review) critics and sold out audiences praise Molly’s recent musical theatre engagements. In her debut as Guest Artist with the Utah Festival Opera, Molly received rave reviews in the lead role of Nellie Forbush in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic, South Pacific. Most recently critics and packed New York City houses were enthralled by Molly’s “luminous and lovely” (The New York Times) portrayal of Rosa Bella in the smash hit production and extended run of Frank Loesser’s The Most Happy Fella.

An avid performer of contemporary opera, Ms. Mustonen has collaborated with some the world’s leading modern composers, most recently singing the role of Elizabeth in the World Premiere reading of Thomas Pasatieri’s God Bless Us Everyone. Additional premieres include Florida Fandango in the New York Premiere of Randall Eng’s Florida, Ms. Hedgehog in the New York Premiere of Tobias Picker’s The Fantastic Mr. Fox and Tallulah Carter in the New York Premiere of Pasatieri’s The Hotel Casablanca, for which Hamptons.com proclaimed was “nothing short of sensational.”

For Molly’s classical repertoire, critics exclaimed her portrayal of Zerlina in Don Giovanni at Utah Festival Opera was “extraordinary” (Salt Lake City Tribune) and “utterly adorable” (The Utah Herald Journal) and The New York Times described Molly as “pretty, sonorous and sympathetic” as Carmela in Menotti’s The Saint of Becker Street. Additional operatic roles include Mimi in La Bohème and Cio-Cio San in Madame Butterfly with the National Lyric Opera, Nedda in I Pagliacci, Musetta in La Bohème, Frasquita in Carmen with Opera of the Hamptons, Beauty in Gianinni’s Beauty and the Beast, Elvira in L’Italiana in Agleri, The Wife in Wargo’s The Music Shop, Madame Silverpiel in The Impresario, Romilda in Handel’s Serse, as well as multiple performances as Martha Sheldon in the award winning production of Robert Ward’s
The Crucible at the Mezzo Television Opera Festival in Szeged, Hungary.

A skilled musician, Ms. Mustonen performed as the featured soprano soloist in the United States Premiere of Donizetti’s Requiem. Molly is also the recipient of the Franco Gentilesca Young Artist Award, United States winner of the Armel International Opera Competition and Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions.