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A winner of the 2007 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, American mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton has been described by Opera News as “a rising star” with a “sumptuous voice". Ms. Barton is also a recent graduate of the Houston Grand Opera Studio.
In the 2009-10 season, Ms. Barton debuts with the Metropolitan Opera as Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte, and Emilia in Otello with the Canadian Opera Company. Ms. Barton also returns to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro. In concert, the Vocal Arts Society will present Ms. Barton in recital at the Kennedy Center, under the auspices of the Marilyn Horne Foundation. She also returns to Carnegie Hall as part of their Great Singers III: Evenings of Song series. Additional concert engagements include Bernstein’s Opening Prayer and Jeremiah Symphony with the Colorado Symphony under Marin Alsop and a recital with Ars Lyrica of Houston.
In the 2008-09 season, Ms. Barton appeared with the Houston Grand Opera as Ursula in Béatrice et Bénédict, Giovanna in Rigoletto, and Mrs. Rolandson in the world premiere of André Previn’s Brief Encounter. Ms. Barton made her Weill Hall debut in a duo recital with tenor Russell Thomas, presented by the Marilyn Horne Foundation. In the summer of 2009, she joined the Wolf Trap Opera Company in the role of Penelope in Monteverdi’s Il ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria, as well as a series of recitals with pianist Steve Blier, also at Wolf Trap. With the Aspen Music Festival, Ms. Barton appeared in recital with bass-baritone Ryan McKinny, as well as a concert of Bernstein/Bruce Coughlin: Arias and Barcarolles with the Aspen Chamber Symphony, also with Ryan McKinny.
Jamie Barton made her professional debut as Annina in La Traviata with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and also covered such roles as Olga Olsen in Street Scene, Katisha in The Mikado, Mrs. Rochester in the American premiere of Michael Berkeley's Jane Eyre, and Betsy in the world premiere of David Carlson’s Anna Karenina. Recently, she returned to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as Suzuki in their production of Madame Butterfly, followed by performances of the Witch in Hansel and Gretel with Aspen Music Festival. As a graduate student of Indiana University, Ms. Barton performed roles such as Tisbe in La Cenerentola, Buttercup in HMS Pinafore, and Mrs. Soames in the 2006 world premiere of Ned Rorem's Our Town.
An avid recitalist, Ms. Barton has appeared with the Marilyn Horne Foundation On Wings of Song recital series, and made her Spivey Hall debut singing Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody, which was also broadcast on NPR. Ms. Barton has received extensive training as a recitalist at the Tanglewood Music Center, where she was a Fellow in Vocal Studies for the summers of 2006 and 2007. At the Tanglewood Music Center, she worked with such artists and coaches as James Levine, Dawn Upshaw, Phyllis Curtin, Kayo Iwama, Ira Siff, Lucy Shelton, Alan Smith, and Olly Wilson. As a member of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, she participated in several recital series including the popular “Recital at Rienzi.”
Additional concert performances include the world premiere of Chris Theofanidis’s The Refuge with the Houston Grand Opera, Duruflé’s Requiem, Bach’s Cantata 197 with the ensemble Kammerbach, Handel’s Alexander’s Feast, Honegger’s King David, and Mozart’s Requiem.
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