Maria Agresta

Acclaimed as one of the most remarkable Italian singers of her generation, the soprano is returning to Lyric for one of her signature roles, one that brought her to London’s Royal Opera this summer. Her Mimì has also earned acclaim at the Metropolitan Opera (company debut, 2016), La Scala, the Opéra National de Paris, and the major houses of Vienna, Munich, Venice, the Verona Arena, and Torre del Lago’s Puccini Festival. Also prominent among her Puccini roles is Liù (La Scala, Verona Arena, most recently last season at the Metropolitan Opera). She is also a celebrated Verdian, with successes including some of the most demanding roles in Italian opera, such as Lucrezia/I due Foscari (Vienna, London), Leonora/ Il trovatore London, Milan, Amsterdam), the title role/Giovanna d’Arco (Graz), Amelia/Simon Boccanegra (Frankfurt), Violetta/La traviata (Munich, Berlin), Desdemona/Otello (with Jonas Kaufmann, Royal Opera House, DVD), and her career-breakthrough role, Elena/I vespri siciliani (Turin). Other important highlights include Donna Elvira/Don Giovanni (La Scala), the title role/Norma (Tel Aviv, Zurich, Paris), Marguerite/ Faust (Salzburg), and the title role/Donizetti’s Gemma di Vergy (Bergamo, Scala, Amsterdam, Salerno). On CD Agresta sings sacred music of Verdi with Antonio Pappano conducting, and she can be seen on DVD in Pagliacci, Gemma di Vergy, Faust, and I due Foscari.

Previously at Lyric: Mimì/La boheme (2018|19); Liù/Turandot (2017/18)

Last updated: October 6, 2018
Photo: Allesandro Moggi