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.

She recently triumphed as Manon in Massenet's masterpiece at the Metropolitan Opera, and as La traviata, she has appeared to great acclaim in numerous productions, including at the Met, Teatro Real de Madrid, Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, and most recently a film version, directed by Mario Martone, and produced at the Teatro dell'opera di Roma. Her most performed roles are Lucia di Lammermoor, Violetta in La traviata, Gilda in Rigoletto, and Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail.

Known for her liquid legato and seamless voice, stylistic integrity, precise coloratura, and superlative acting, Lisette excels in the repertoire of the bel canto, Mozart, and French composers. Her upcoming seasons include more exciting role and house debuts, concerts, and welcome returns to many beloved theatres.

Lisette Oropesa in New Orleans

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)

Lisette was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Cuban parents, and played the flute for 12 years before 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 100 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.

Current Season

In the 2020-21 season Lisette makes several important debuts, beginning as Konstanze at the Wiener Staatsoper in a new production of DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL. On December 7th, she opens the season at the Teatro alla Scala in A RIVEDER LE STELLE. Then she heads to Barcelona to sing one of her signature roles, Violetta Valery in LA TRAVIATA with the Grand Theatre del Liceu. She then debuts at the Opernhaus Zürich in a new production of LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR. And she will return once again to the Arena di Verona for LA TRAVIATA.

Over the course of the season, she also sings concerts in Paris, Bilbao, Rome, and London. The season will also feature the release of her first solo orchestral album of Mozart concert arias.

In 2019, she was named the recipient of the Richard Tucker and Beverly Sills Awards.

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 Oropesa at the Park Avenue Armory, New York

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, 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 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.

In the U.S., Lisette has appeared at the Met, San Francisco Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Philadelphia Opera, and the Washington National Opera, among others. Lisette's career also includes oratorio, recital, and concert repertoire. She has released two recital albums, titled Within/Without, and Aux filles du désert, and has performed recitals in New York City, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and more. In concert she has appeared with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, among others. She has sung at Carnegie Hall, the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, The Ravinia Festival, The Tanglewood Music Festival, The Chicago Bach Project, The Mostly Mozart Music Festival, and more. She has collaborated with many of the world's leading conductors, including Riccardo Muti, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Anthony Pappano, Daniele Gatti, Fabio Luisi, Ivor Bolton, William Christie, and many more.