soprano
“Shining soprano Mary Wilson, a gift from the gods if I ever heard one…her singing was exquisite.” — San Francisco Classical Voice
“She proved why many in the opera world are heralding her as an emerging star. She is simply amazing, with a voice that induces goose bumps and a stage presence that is mesmerizing.” — Arizona Daily Star
Mary Wilson (soprano) is acknowledged as one of today’s most exciting artists. Cultivating a wide-ranging career singing chamber music, oratorio and operatic repertoire, her “bright soprano seems to know no terrors, wrapping itself seductively around every phrase” (Dallas Morning News). Receiving consistent critical acclaim from coast to coast, “she proves why many in the opera world are heralding her as an emerging star. She is simply amazing, with a voice that induces goose bumps and a stage presence that is mesmerizing. She literally stole the spotlight…” (Arizona Daily Star).
In high demand on the concert stage, she has most recently appeared with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Detroit Symphony, Delaware Symphony Orchestra, San Antonio Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, Virginia Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Jacksonville Symphony, Dayton Philharmonic, VocalEssence, and at the Hollywood Bowl. She has worked with conductors including Jeffrey Thomas, Bernard Labadie, Martin Pearlman, Martin Haselböck, JoAnn Falletta, Nicholas McGegan, Michael Stern, Anton Armstrong, Philip Brunelle, and Leonard Slatkin. An exciting interpreter of Baroque repertoire, especially Handel, she has appeared with American Bach Soloists, Boston Baroque, Grand Rapids Bach Festival, Bach Society of St. Louis, Musica Angelica, Baltimore Handel Choir, Florida Bach Festival, Philharmonia Baroque, Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Casals Festival, and the Carmel Bach Festival. With the IRIS Chamber Orchestra, she sang the world premiere of the song cycle, Songs Old and New, written especially for her by Ned Rorem.
On the opera stage, she is especially noted for her portrayals of Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos, Susannah in Le Nozze di Figaro, and Gilda in Rigoletto. She has created leading roles in North American and World premiere performances of Dove’s Flight, Glass’ Galileo Galilei, and Petitgirard’s Joseph Merrick dit L’Elephant Man. She has appeared most recently with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Minnesota Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Dayton Opera, Arizona Opera, Tulsa Opera, Mississippi Opera, Southwest Opera, Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Goodman Theatre.
An accomplished pianist, Ms. Wilson holds performance degrees from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Currently she is on the voice faculty at the University of Memphis and resides in Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband, son, and two dogs.