Lisette Oropesa Biography

Soprano Lisette Oropesa has been hailed by The New York Times as an artist with a “magnetic” stage presence, and an “attractively silky, and flexible timbre.” Opera News asserts "she wields a distinctive, bell-like timbre that is instantly appealing" .

Lisette will be making several role and company debuts in the 2012-13 season, most notably the role of Gilda in the Metropolitan Opera's new production of Rigoletto and the role of Cleopatra in Michigan Opera Theatre's Guilio Cesare.

The 2011-12 season was stratospheric with the debut at San Francisco Opera as Romilda in Xerxes, followed by Miranda in the new Baroque pastiche The Enchanted Island with the Metropolitan Opera (conducted by William Christie), an appearance with the Chicago Symphony in Carmina Burana, led by Riccardo Muti. The season culminates with Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail with Pittsburgh Opera and Ismene in a revival of Mitridate, rè di Ponto with the Bayerische Staatsoper.

Last season, Ms. Oropesa appeared as Woglinde, in the much anticipated new production of Das Rheingold, directed by Robert Lepage and conducted by James Levine. Ms. Oropesa also performed Amor in Orfeo ed Euricide for the Metropolitan Opera, and covered the role of Norina in Don Pasquale. Later in the season, she premiered a new production of Lucia di Lammermoor at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, and made her debut at the Bayerische Staatsoper (Munich) as Ismene in Mozart’s Mitridate, rè di Ponto. Ms. Oropesa also returned to the New Orleans Opera, in her home state of Louisiana, for her first ever performances of Leïla in Les Pêcheurs de Perles.

In recent seasons she has returned to the Metropolitan Opera for performances of Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, a role she first performed at the Met (to great acclaim) in the 2007-08 season. Ms. Oropesa made three notable European debuts, performing a new role at each theater: Konstanze in Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail at Welsh National Opera; Nannetta in Falstaff in Bilbao, Spain; and Fiorilla in Rossini’s Il turco in Italia at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein. In concert, she made her debut with the Cleveland Orchestra as the soprano soloist in Carmina Burana. She finished the season with a concert version of Die Entführung aus dem Serail with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the Tanglewood Music Festival, followed by concerts of Le Nozze di Figaro at the Ravinia Festival, conducted by James Conlon.

Ms. Oropesa is a graduate of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at the Metropolitan Opera. While at the Met, she performed a variety of roles, including the role of “Lisette” in La Rondine, Woglinde in Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung, as well as the Waldvogel in Siegfried, conducted by James Levine. Additionally, she performed Brahms’Liebeslieder Waltzer at Weill Recital Hall-Carnegie Hall with James Levine and Daniel Barenboim at the piano.

Other notable engagements include Lucia di Lammermoor with Opera New Jersey and Gilda in Rigoletto with Arizona Opera.

Ms. Oropesa has won numerous awards and competitions including the 2009 Richard Tucker Music Foundation Career Grant, the 2005 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the First Place award presented by the Gerda Lissner Foundation, and the Licia Albanese Puccini Competition, as well as a George London Award. She was the recipient of a Sarah Tucker study grant in 2007. At Plácido Domingo’s Operalia Competition in the summer of 2007 in Paris, she won the Zarzuela Award as well as winning third place in the general competition. Additionally, she is also the recipient of a 2008 Sullivan Foundation Award and the Musique et Vin, 2012 young talent award.

Ms. Oropesa received her bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from Louisiana State University.

Updated Feburary 2012