email louisvillevoicelessons.com
to schedule a lesson
Alumni of Gerdine Young Artists Program at Opera Theatre of St. Louis; Manhattan School of Music; Millikin University; Youth Performing Arts School and The Governor's School for the Arts
WATCH/LISTEN
Since becoming a Grand Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, American mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Batton has performed in concert, on recording, and on the operatic stage to international acclaim. Ms. Batton has sung the title role of Carmen in concert and on stage. Opera News described her performance (New York City Opera) as “seductive” and “…a vocal powerhouse of dark, burnished bronze, seamless throughout its range, a steady flow of gorgeous sound.”
Recent and upcoming appearances include the title role of Carmen with Opera Idaho, Mary in Wagner’s Der Fliegende der Holländer, and the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors both for Indianapolis Opera, Marinka in Smetana’s the Kiss for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and Sara in Roberto Devereux with Opera de Montreal, a role she first sang the role with Dallas Opera in 2009. Other recent engagements have included Samira (created for Marilyn Horne) in The Ghost of Versailles for Opera Theater of St. Louis, Lucretia in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia for Toledo Opera, and Maddalena in Verdi’s Rigoletto with Arizona Opera, New York City Opera and Indianapolis Opera. Miss Batton will also return to the Dallas Opera for a new production of Eugene Onegin and joins Kentucky Opera as Eunice is A Streetcar named Desire.
Ms. Batton made her concert debut at Lincoln Center in 1998 with the American Symphony Orchestra as Ruth in the North American revival of The Eternal Road by Kurt Weill. She sang Iras in Barber’s Antony and Cleopatra with the American Composers Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, and has appeared as the mezzo soloist in Bruckner’s Mass in F Minor with the American Symphony Orchestra, Handel’s Messiah with the Pacific Symphony, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle for the Wexford Festival, Mozart’s Requiem with the New York Choral Society at Carnegie Hall, and the Principessa in Mascagni’s Il Piccolo Marat in its American debut at Avery Fisher Hall.
Past engagements include Nicklausse in Les Contes d’Hoffmann at Los Angeles Opera, Suzuki from Madama Butterfly at Washington National Opera, conducted by Placido Domingo, and the New York City Opera, Olga in Eugene Onegin at the Boston Lyric Opera and Cleveland Opera, and Charlotte in Werther at Indianapolis Opera and Kentucky Opera. In addition to the American Premiere of Il Piccolo Marat, Ms. Batton was in the American Premiere of Jane Erye by Berkeley, the American Premiere of Britten’s Gloriana as Lady Essex, and the American Premiere of Walton’s Troilus and Cressida as Evadne. Ms. Batton performed with the National Opera du Rhin in Strasbourg as Die Dritte Dame in Die Zauberflöte, which was telecast throughout Europe. Additionally, she has been featured on the cover of Opera News Magazine and in their “Features” section.
On CD, Ms. Batton sang the role of Zuzka from Eva by Josef Foester released by the Marco-Polo Label with the Wexford Festival. On the Telarc Label, Ms. Batton can be heard as Zweite Dienerin in Die Agyptische Helena with American Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Leon Botstein. As a grand winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition in 2000, Elizabeth was the first recipient of the Alton E. Peters Award. She also was a winner of the Licia Albanese Puccini Competition, Career Bridges Competition, and was a finalist in the Loren Zachary Competition.
