Lisette Oropesa is one of those exceptional things that appears, like a Haley Comet, once every 10 years.
- Notodo
Lisette Oropesa is one of the most in-demand lyric coloraturas today, who performs leading roles regularly at the most important opera houses around the world.
This includes the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Wiener Staatsoper, Bayerische Staatsoper, Opéra National de Paris, Royal Opera House - Covent Garden, and more.
A notable Violetta, her most recent performances of La traviata have been at the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro Real, Grand Theatre del Liceu, Teato dell'opera di Roma, Arena di Verona and the Royal Opera House. Lisette has also triumphed as Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Manon in Massenet’s work, Rodelinda, and Queen Marguerite in Les Huguenots. Known for her vivid portrayals, Lisette has achieved worldwide acclaim for her seamless vocal technique, expressive musicality, linguistic affinity, and stylistic integrity.
Cuban-American soprano Lisette Oropesa who has "an endless supply of golden-age trills," (Opera News) and has a voice that is "brightly crystalline and arrestingly powerful," (New York Times)
She has a "technique without weakness" (Codalario) and "everything she touches turns into gold" (Place de l'Opera)
Current Season
In the 2022/2023 season, Lisette debuted and triumphed in an Olivier Award winning production of Händel’s ALCINA at the Royal Opera House, Gilda at the MET, Amalia in I Masnadieri at the Bayerische Staatsoper, Ophélie in HAMLET at the Opéra National de Paris, LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR at Teatro alla La Scala, and made her role debut as Juliette in Gounod’s ROMÉO ET JULIETTE at the Savonlinna Opera Festival.
In the 2023/24 season, she will be performing the French version of LUCIE DE LAMMERMOOR in Aix en Provence. She will be in Tokyo with the Teatro dell'opera di Roma for LA TRAVIATA. She performs in the Simon Stone production of LA TRAVIATA at the Wiener Staatsoper. She will be reviving her famed LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT in a debut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She will also be reving her Cleopatra in GIULIO CESARE at the Opéra National de Paris, a role she hasn't performed since 2012. She then goes to the Wiener Staatsoper to debut Mathilde in GUILLAUME TELL. In April, she makes a debut as Amina in LA SONNAMBULA with the Teatro dell'opera di Roma. Her Summer ends with Recitals and Concerts at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, Two concerts at the Teatro alla Scala, Gran Theatre del Liceu, Festspielhaus Baden Baden, Hungarian State Opera, Royal Opera House, Musikverein, Carnegie Hall, a tour with the Metropolitan Opera Orchetra in Korea and Japan, Teatro di San Carlo, and a concert with the Salzburger Festpiele.
Lisette’s has several critically acclaimed albums available, including Ombra compagna, a collection of Mozart concert arias for soprano, a complete recording of LA TRAVIATA, and Rossini & Donizetti, French Bel Canto Arias.
About
Lisette was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Cuban parents, and played the flute for 12 years and she began her studies in vocal performance at Louisiana State University. After winning the Met Opera National Council Auditions, she entered the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program and moved to New York City. She sang her first major role, Susanna in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, at the Met at the age of 22, and has sung there in over 140 performances in many different roles since. She has appeared in concert halls and opera stages all over the world since graduating from the young artist program in 2008, and has become one of the most celebrated singers of her generation, both for her singing and her inspiring personal story. Lisette is a devoted runner who has completed 6 marathons and is an advocate for health and fitness.
She has received some of the most important awards in opera, such as the Beverly Sills Award, the Richard Tucker Award, the Franco Abbiati Prize, and the Oper! Award for best Female Singer. In 2023 she was also bestowed the "Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" by the French government.
Lisette Oropesa…relève du miracle artistique qu’on voudrait ne jamais quitter et voir se répéter sans cesse. (ResMusica)
La voz es bella, cálida, rica en colores, tan fascinante como su riqueza expresiva. (El Pais)
Career Highlights
Lisette began her career at the Metropolitan Opera, and has starred in various roles there, including Manon Lescaut in MANON, Violetta Valery in LA TRAVIATA, Nannetta in FALSTAFF, Gretel in HANSEL AND GRETEL, Gilda in RIGOLETTO, and Susanna in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO.
She has a strong relationship to Spanish theatres such as the Teatro Real and the Grand Theatre del Liceu where she has sung in LA TRAVIATA, LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR and RIGOLETTO, IL TURCO IN ITALIA, and RODELINDA.
She has appeared many times with the Bayerische Staatsoper as Konstanze in DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL, a role she has also sung at the Opéra National de Paris. Her most performed role is Gilda in RIGOLETTO, which she has sung at the Dutch National Opera, Teatro dell'opera di Roma, Los Angeles Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Opéra National de Paris, and the Teatro Real. In the U.K., Lisette triumphed as Norina in DON PASQUALE at Glyndebourne, and as LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, LA TRAVIATA, and ALCINA at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
Other roles include Ophélie in HAMLET, Cleopatra in GIULIO CESARE, Leïla in LES PÊCHEURS DE PERLES, Marie in LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT, Amalia in I MASNADIERI, Rosina in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, and Adina in L'ELISIR D'AMORE.
More career highlights include - Covent Garden as Gilda in a new production of RIGOLETTO to open their season, new productions of I MASNADIERI, I CAPULETI E I MONTECCHI, and LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR at Teatro alla Scala, Elvira in I PURITANI at the Teatro di San Carlo in Napoli, Queen Marguerite de Valois in Meyerbeer’s LES HUGUENOTS and HAMLET at the Opera National de Paris,
Lisette also performs many solo concerts and recitals each year, and is a beloved interpreter of art song. She’s recorded 2 live recital discs: Within/Without and Aux filles du désert. Her concert programs have delighted audiences in Valencia, Madrid, Seville, Vienna, Gstaad, Prague, Tokyo, Rome, Parma, Pesaro, New York City, Napa, Tucson, New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro, and elsewhere.