Brenda Rae

Dazzling coloratura and an unflinching dramatic commitment to the eclectic roles she brings to life, Brenda Rae continues to triumph on the world’s leading stages. This season is no exception and brings important new challenges at Teatro Real and Palau de la Musica where she sings the role of Petra in the world premiere of Francisco Coll’s setting of Ibsen’s An enemy of the people. Meanwhile at the Grand Theâtre de Genève she embraces the surreal world of Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels making its Swiss premiere. Back home in the United States, Brenda Rae returns to her bel canto roots as Rossini’s Madame Cortese (Il viaggio a Reims) for Opera Philadelphia and as Donizetti’s high-flying eponymous Marie (La fille du regiment) for Boston Lyric Opera.

Recent European highlights include Brenda Rae’s long-awaited return Oper Frankfurt as Lulu in Nadja Loschky’s new production conducted by Thomas Guggeis, as well as Aminta in Jan Philipp Gloger’s new production of Die schweigsame Frau for Staatsoper Unter den Linden under Christian Thielemann. Elsewhere, Brenda returned to the role of Gilda in Rigoletto both for Deutsche Oper Berlin under Michele Spotti, and Opernhaus Zürich conducted by Andrea Sanguineti. 

Her strong relationship with the Bayerische Staatsoper has seen her in the title role in Claus Guth’s new production of Semele conducted by Gianluca Capuano, as Konstanze (Die Entführung aus dem Serail) under Ivor Bolton, and Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos) on tour to Hong Kong. In Paris, Brenda returned to the Opéra Bastille most recently for two productions, as Lucia di Lammermoor under Aziz Shokhakimov and Ophelia (Hamlet) conducted by Thomas Hengelbrock. In Vienna, Rae continued her reign as the Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte) at the Wiener Staatsoper under Betrand de Billy and returned as Norina (Don Pasquale) conducted by Francesco Lanzillotta and latterly as Amina (La Sonnambula) under Giacomo Sagripanti to rapturous critical acclaim.