Susanne Mentzer

Background

About Susanne Mentzer

An established pedagogue for over 21 years, Susanne has taught in academia as a Tenured Prof. of Voice at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, Associate Prof. at DePaul University, on faculty of the Aspen Music Festival & School, and now at San Francisco Conservatory of Music since 2016. She teaches privately & at Songfest in Los Angeles each June. An American mezzo-soprano she is one of today’s most respected artists. Admired for her vocal warmth her dramatic versatility she is most known for her portrayal of roles Mozart, Strauss, Berlioz, Bellini and Rossini. Susanne has enjoyed a significant concert and recital career, with a particular interest in chamber music, and is known as an interpreter of Mahler and a proponent of women composers. A regular at the Metropolitan Opera since 1989, she has appeared at nearly every great opera house and orchestra under the batons of Levine, Boulez, Muti, Masur, Marriner Eschenbach, C. Davis, Bonynge, Dutoit, Sinopoli, Mackerras, Maazel, Haitink, Chailly, Salonen, Sawallisch, and many others. She also has appeared in many productions of the late director Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, whom she considers one of her great influences, and with the late Giorgio Strehler at La Scala. Her extensive discography of over 24 opera and concert works includes the Grammy nominated Arlecchino by Busoni, and two recitals she often performs in concert: The Eternal Feminine, a recital of music by women composers (Koch International Classics) which includes the premiere of Libby Larsen's Love After 1950 with her long-time pianist Craig Rutenberg; Wayfaring Stranger (Erato), a collection of international folksongs arranged for voice and guitar with Grammy winner, Sharon Isbin. She has appeared on Live from the Met, Live from Lincoln Center on PBS and operas on DVD. Ms. Mentzer has degrees from The Juilliard School and was trained in the Houston Opera Studio.