Blythe Gaissert
mezzo-soprano
mezzo-soprano
Mezzo-soprano Blythe Gaissert has established herself as one of the preeminent interpreters of some of the brightest stars of new classical music. A true singing actress, she has received critical acclaim for her interpretations of both new and traditional repertoire in opera, concert, and chamber repertoire. “Gaissert gave a dramatically powerful, vocally stunning portrait of a woman growing increasingly desperate and delusional from lack of contact with the outer world. Gaissert’s development of Loats’s personality was utterly believable, and she gave a virtuoso performance of this very challenging music” (Arlo McKinnon, Opera News on THE ECHO DRIFT). Gaissert is known for her warm tone, powerful stage presence, and impeccable musicianship and technical prowess….”Mezzo-soprano Blythe Gaissert was impossible to ignore…..She has a pure, powerful and appealing voice and a forceful stage presence to match.” (Denver Post)
Recent performances include the Soprano in Marc Neikrug’s A SONG BY MAHLER with the ARC Ensemble in Toronto, Linda Larson in Laura Kaminsky HOMETOWN TO THE WORLD at Santa Fe Opera, the role of Georgia O’Keefe in Laura Kaminsky TODAY IT RAINS with Opera Parallele and American Opera Projects, Sadie in Ricky Ian Gordon MORNING STAR with On-Site Opera, creating the role of Walker Loats in Mikael Karlsson THE ECHO DRIFT for American Opera Projects at the Prototype Festival, Hansel HÄNSEL UND GRETEL with San Diego Opera, the role of Hannah After in Laura Kaminsky AS ONE with Atlanta Opera, American Opera Projects, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, New York City Opera, Opera Colorado, Opera Columbus, Opera Idaho, Opera Memphis and San Diego Opera. Recent concert engagements have included Beethoven 9th Symphony with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Symphony and Sarasota Orchestra, Berio Folk Songs and Siegrune DIE WALKÜRE with the Dallas Symphony and Berlioz L’Enfance du Christ with the Orquesta Sinfónica y Coro RTVE conducted by Miguel Harth-Bedoya. Upcoming engagements include Katharine Wright in Laura Kaminsky FINDING WRIGHT for Dayton Opera and Judd Greenstein A MARVELOUS ORDER at the Center for Performing Arts at PSU.
Previous engagements have included the Israelite Man in Handel JUDAS MACCABAEUS with Los Angeles Opera under the baton of James Conlon, the title role THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA with the Aldeburgh Festival, Zweite Magd ELEKTRA at Cincinnati Opera, Mere Marie DIALOGUES DES CARMÉLITES with Des Moines Metro Opera, Maddalena RIGOLETTO at the Lyrique en Mer Festival in Belle-Ile, the title-role CARMEN with Opera Southwest and the Aspen Music Festival under the baton of Julius Rudel, Suzuki MADAMA BUTTERFLY with Opera Coeur D’Alene and Orlovsky DIE FLEDERMAUS and Maddalena RIGOLETTO with Sarasota Opera. At the Metropolitan Opera Ms Gaissert has covered Second Secretary NIXON IN CHINA, Siegrune DIE WALKÜRE and Margret WOZZECK.
Ms Gaissert has taken part in world premieres by John Adams, Tom Cipullo, Mohammed Fairouz, Renee Favand-See, Yotam Haber, Martin Hennessy, Gabriel Kahane, Laura Kaminsky, Jessica Meyer, Mikael Karlsson, Gilda Lyons, Jorge Martin, Robert Paterson, Glen Roven and Richard Pearson Thomas. Ms Gaissert’s debut album Home, comprised of world premieres written specifically for her, was released in 2021 to superb reviews and reached Number 1 in the Billboard Classical Charts.