"With her gleaming voice, capped with big top notes, she was impressive in "Elsa’s Dream" from Wagner’s 'Lohengrin' and "Come scoglio" from Mozart’s 'Così fan tutte'." —Anthony Tommasini, New York Times, March 15, 2010 - Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions 2010 Finals

Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen is quickly gaining international recognition as one of the outstanding voices of her generation. A winner of the 2010 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the New York Times hailed her “gleaming voice, capped with big top notes”. She was also the first prize winner of the 2011 Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition, earning the top honors in both the opera and operetta categories.

In the 2011 – 2012 season, Ms. Willis-Sørensen makes her Royal Opera House-Covent Garden debut as Countess Almaviva in 'Le nozze di Figaro' under music director Antonio Pappano, a role which she will also debut at Michigan Opera Theatre. Additionally, she will appear at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as Fiordiligi in 'Così fan tutte' and Gotham Chamber Opera as Licenza in Christopher Alden’s production of Mozart’s rarely-heard 'Il sogno di Scipione' to celebrate their 10th anniversary. Beginning in the 2012 – 2013 season, Ms. Willis-Sørensen will be a member of the ensemble at Semperoper Dresden where she will make a number of roles debuts, as well as return to the Royal Opera House and Houston Grand Opera.

Ms. Willis-Sørensen is a recent alumna of the Houston Grand Opera Studio. In the 2010 – 2011 season, she sang the role of Kate Pinkerton in 'Madama Butterfly' and Fiordiligi in 'Così fan tutte' in the HGO Studio performances. She also covered Ellen Orford in 'Peter Grimes', Countess Almaviva in 'Le nozze di Figaro', and the title role in 'Ariadne auf Naxos'. Ms. Willis-Sørensen made her mainstage debut as Masha in 'Pique Dame' and covered both Elsa in 'Lohengrin' and the Governess in 'The Turn of the Screw' in the 2009 – 2010 season at Houston Grand Opera. Ms. Willis-Sørensen made her Santa Fe Opera debut as the First Lady in Mozart’s 'Die Zauberflöte' and performed excerpts from 'Arabella' as a member of their prestigious Apprentice Program.

Additional awards for Ms. Willis-Sørensen include first place in the 2009 Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers in Houston and the 2010 Sara Tucker Grant from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation. She holds both Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Brigham Young University. See http://www.rachelwillis-sorensen.com/live/ and http://www.cami.com/?webid=2121

Graduate of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program of the Metropolitan Opera. Recently performed the role of Carmen at Glimmerglass Festival to great acclaim. The New York Times wrote, "The Carmen was Ginger Costa-Jackson, a ravishing mezzo-soprano from Italy, just 24, who easily conveyed the allure and willful recklessness of Bizet’s Gypsy temptress. Her voice has dark, rich colorings and considerable body. She did not push her sound and paced herself smartly. It was a good experience, for her and for her excited audience." Her Met Live in HD performances include Wowkle (La fanciulla del West), Nancy T'sang (Nixon in China) , and Myrtale ( Thaïs ), with more planned. She has also performed  Eine Theatergarderorbiere (Lulu) , Lola (Cavalleria Rusticana) and other roles with the company. She gives her debut in the title role of Carmen in 2011 with Glimmerglass Opera. Click here for more about Ginger's career. 

* Lakai in Ariadne auf Naxos, James Levine conducting, Tanglewood Music Festival - summer 2010
* Villains roles in Les Contes d'Hoffmann at BYU - 2009
* Title role, Don Giovanni at BYU - 2008
* Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro at BYU - 2007
* Utah Festival Opera Young Artist - 2007/2008

* Young Artist Utah Festival Opera (cover of Rosina in Barbiere di Siviglia) 2010
* Winner of NATS Competition - 2009
* Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni at BYU - 2008
* Winner of Utah State Fair - 2006/2008
* Soloist with Utah Symphony - 2006
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