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BIOGRAPHY
A former Adler Fellow, mezzo soprano Katherine Rohrer continues to impress with her outstanding voice and compelling stage presence.
Current engagements include her first Pilgrim in Saariaho's L'Amour de Loin, Nicklausse/Muse in Les Contes d'Hoffmann with Florida Grand Opera, and her debut in Geneva as Princesse Clarice in Prokofiev's L'Amour des Trois Oranges.
Recently she debuted as Nicklausse/Muse in Les Contes d'Hoffmann with Opera Colorado, as Marguerite in La Damnation de Faust with Oper Frankfurt, the title-role in Carmen with Glyndebourne on Tour, with New York City Ballet as vocal soloist in Brahms' Liebesliederwalzer at Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center, Lady Macbeth in Bloch's rarely-heard Macbeth with London's University College Opera, Sonyetka in Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mzensk with the Teatro Municipal in Santiago de Chile, Stella in Elliott Carter's opera What Next? in New York City.
Concert appearances include Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream with the Mito Chamber Orchestra and Seiji Ozawa (commercially released on CD and DVD), Marguerite in Berlioz' La Damnation de Faust with the St Louis Symphony and David Zinman, Clara in Prokofiev's Betrothal in a Monastery in Valencia, Spain, and recitals and a residency for the Marilyn Horne Foundation.
In recent seasons, she returned to the San Francisco Opera as Maddalena in Rigoletto, she debuted with Lyric Opera of Chicago as Stephano in Roméo et Juliette and with New York City Opera as Vitige in Handel's Flavio. Miss Rohrer returned to Great Britain for Pauline in Prokofiev's The Gambler and she made her debut with Glimmerglass Opera as the Messenger and Proserpine in Monteverdi's Orfeo. She made her debut with the Glyndebourne Opera as Nadine, the leading character in the World Premiere of Lunn's Tangier Tattoo and sang Oberto in Händel's Alcina with Opéra de Lyon. She also appeared in a gala concert for the Marilyn Horne Foundation at Carnegie's Zankel Hall and made her Atlanta Symphony debut as Soprano II in Mozart's Great Mass in C Minor with Donald Runnicles conducting.
Other projects have included a triumphal debut with the Gotham Chamber Opera as Teseo in Händel's Arianna in Creta and with Opera Colorado as Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro and Dorabella and Paulina with San Francisco Opera. Katherine Rohrer has been featured on the Schwabacher Debut Recital Series. She has toured the nation with Western Opera Theater as Dorabella and as Charlotte in The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein with Opera Theater of St. Louis. Additional credits include the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, the title roles in La Périchole, in The Rape of Lucretia, Jenny in Three Penny Opera, and Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Among her many honors and distinctions Miss Rohrer is recipient of the Central City Opera's John Moriarty Apprentice Encouragement Award, winner of the Rose Palmer Mobile Opera Competition, third place in the Eleanor McCollum Competition at Houston Grand Opera, New England Regional winner and finalist in the National Competition of the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions.
Ms. Rohrer holds a bachelor's degree from Stetson University and a master of music degree from the New England Conservatory.
PRESS ACCLAIM
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As Nicklauss in Les Contes d'Hoffmann:
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| "... mezzo-soprano Katherine Rohrer turns in one of the best overall performances as Muse/Nicklausse. She is a rich, full-voiced singer with a big, vibrant stage presence." |
Kyle MacMillan, Denver Post, Nov 10, 2009
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| "Doucet saw fit to give his two female leads lots of creative freedom. Katherine Rohrer's portrayal of Hoffmann's Muse was heartfelt, spontaneous, physically charged and sung with beauty and expression." |
David Sckolnik, The Gazette, Nov 12, 2009
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| "Mezzo Katherine Rohrer, as Hoffmann's Muse and companion, Nicklausse, is a vocal and dramatic revelation." |
Bob Bows, Colorado Drama, Nov 12, 2009
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As Sonyetka in Macbeth of Mzensk:
(Teatro Municipal de Santiago)
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| "Mezzo-soprano Katherine Rohrer was noticeable in the relatively small role of Sonyetka for the firmness of her registers and the color of her timbre." |
Claudia Ramirez-Hein, La Tercera, Jul 23, 2009
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| "One should also make a note of the American Katherine Rohrer, in the brief but crucial role of Sonyetka, who appears at the end of the piece; she displayed a clear command of the stage and vocal mastery." |
Alvaro Gallegos, Beethoven FM, Jul 21, 2009
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As Marguerite in La Damnation de Faust:
(St. Louis Symphony)
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| "Rohrer was appealing, nicely capturing the character's innocence and longing. She brought a creamy timbre to her higher range." |
Sarah Bryan Miller, St Louis Post Dispatch, Apr 18, 2009
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As Carmen in Carmen:
(Glyndebourne)
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| "Katherine Rohrer takes to this version of the role brilliantly, shading her innately attractive mezzo-soprano with subtle and appropriate colours all the way." |
Stephen Pettitt, Opera Magazine, Dec 2008
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| "And Carmen herself? Katherine Rohrer clearly watched and listened attentively, for she has already deeply assimilated the strength and complexity of this Carmen. And her minutely expressive mezzo-soprano traces every nerve ending of Bizet's writing." |
Hilary Finch, Times Online, Oct 21, 2008
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| "American mezzo, Katherine Rohrer, is a quite superb Carmen, who has clearly assimilated the very best from other great exponents of the role, yet adds her own distinctly personal touch." |
The Herald, Dec 3, 2008
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As Mercedes in Carmen:
(Glyndebourne)
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| "As Mercedes, Katherine Rohrer had a bell-like clarity and did enough to show that she will excel when stepping up to play the lead on tour later this year." |
Sussex Express, Jul 7, 2008
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| "Jaël Azzaretti and Katherine Rohrer offer humour and much flashing of comely pins as Frasquita and Mercédès." |
Richard Morrison, The Times, Jul 7, 2008
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In Solo Recital at the University of Louisville:
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"Katherine Rohrer - riveting at U of L"
"Katherine Rohrer is a mezzo-soprano with a luscious, ringing voice and just enough sass to convert you immediately to her cause. Her song recital this evening at the University of Louisville's School of Music - presented in tandem with the Marilyn Horne Foundation - proved that point at every available juncture.
An opening group of works by Henry Purcell, which Benjamin Britten arranged with a superb ear for coaxing optimal color from singer and piano, culminated in Rohrer's exceptionally persuasive rendering of 'The Blessed Virgin's Expostulation' - riveting with its fortissimo cries of 'Gabriel! Gabriel!' that swooped down a moment later to a whispered, 'He comes not.'
Partnered by the fine pianist John Parr (head of music at the San Francisco Opera, no less), Rohrer impressed via her vocal intelligence, wit and encompassing characterizations. Four of Brahms' lieder showed off her burnished middle register, and after intermission, Britten's five-part 'A Charm of Lullabies' revealed the mezzo's eagerness to shift from drama to hilarious overstatement in the space of an instant.
Manuel de Falla's 'Seven Popular Spanish Songs' found Rohrer treading more familiar territory, though her embrace of Falla's swirling, often tempestuous rhythms and color were laudably fresh and affirming.
By the time she ended the formal portion of her Comstock Concert Hall recital with Paul Bowles' sultry 'Blue Mountain Ballads' (set to texts by Tennessee Williams), her success was assured. 'I'm red pepper in a shaker,' she declared at the start of Bowles' Sugar in the Cane'" - a whiff of cayenne that made you grin in like-minded pleasure."
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Andrew Adler, The Courier-Journal, Apr 23, 2008
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As Stella in Eliot Carter's What Next?:
(The Miller Theatre - NYC)
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| "Stella (the rich mezzo-soprano Katherine Rohrer), an astronomer, is all seriousness with thick-rimmed glasses, though she makes no sense." |
Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times, Dec 10, 2007
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| "The virtuosic Katherine Rohrer projected dauntless conviction." |
Martin Bernheimer, The Wall Street Journal, Dec 10, 2007
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As Messagiera/Proserpina in L'Orfeo:
(Glimmerglass Opera)
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| "Katherine Rohrer was riveting as the Messenger announcing Eurydice's demise and also scored as Proserpina, in spite of a jaded manner at odds with the latter's plea for Eurydice's release." |
George Loomis, Financial Times, Aug 8, 2007
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| "...Katherine Rohrer as a dramatically gripping Messagiera/Proserpina." |
Eli Jacobson, Gay City News, Aug 17, 2007
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| "Katherine Rohrer is a minx of a Proserpina, bored with the Underworld..." |
Neil Novelli, The Post-Standard, Aug 4, 2007
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| "Mezzo-soprano Katherine Rohrer doubled nicely as Messagiera, delivering a beautiful rendition of the aria describing the death of Euridice, and Prosperpina." |
Wayne Myers, The Oneida Daily Dispatch, Jul 30, 2007
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As Pauline in The Gambler:
(Grange Park Opera)
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| "Warm-voiced Katherine Rohrer is vocally excellent as Pauline." |
Warwick Thompson, Bloomberg.com, Jun 4, 2007
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As Vitige in Händel's Flavio:
(New York City Opera)
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| "Katherine Rohrer, also a debutante, is a suitably boyish Vitige, and her focused mezzo gives pleasure." |
Robert Levine, Classics Today, Apr 9, 2007
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| "Ms. Rohrer, another debutante, has a nice, clear, high mezzo." |
Anne Midgette, The New York Times, Apr 6, 2007
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As Stephano in Roméo et Juliette:
(Lyric Opera of Chicago)
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| "American mezzo Katherine Rohrer was the standout in the supporting cast. As Romeo's page Stephano, she showed a voice and spirit alive." |
Andrew Patner, Chicago Sun-Times, Nov 22, 2006
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| "Katherine Rohrer is perfect in the brief, but crucial, 'trousers' role of the young Stephano." |
Bill Gowen, Daily Herald, Nov 22, 2006
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| "Katherine Rohrer's Stephano was pertly sung and boyishly characterized." |
Mark Thomas Ketterson, Opera News, Feb 2007
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As Maddalena in Rigoletto:
(San Francisco Opera)
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| "Katherine Rohrer has a fine, full-bodied mezzo. Her Maddalena was a tough cookie, refusing to be menaced by her looming brother." |
Michael Zwiebach, San Francisco Classical Voice, Oct 4, 2006
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| "Katherine Rohrer is a spunky Maddalena, the whore-slash-sister of the killer who baits the victims into his lair. Her voice is a bit coarser than Dunleavy's, which perfectly fits the character." |
Cedric Westphal, SFIST, Oct 2, 2006
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As Soprano II in Mozart's Mass in C Minor:
(Atlanta Symphony) |
| "The four vocal soloists - soprano Jane Archibald, mezzo Katherine Rohrer, tenor William Burden and bass John Relyea - dispatched their parts with lovely voices and operatic verve." |
Pierre Ruhe, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Mar 23, 2006
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As Nadine in Tangier Tattoo with the Glyndebourne Touring Company:
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| "Roland Davitt and Katherine Rohrer play the lead roles with flair." |
Rupert Christiansen, Telegraph, Oct 27, 2005
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| "... Nadine, a role played with a good deal of flexibility by Katherine Rohrer." |
Christopher Smith, Norfolk Eastern Daily Press, Nov 12, 2005
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As Dorabella in Così fan tutte:
(San Francisco Opera)
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| "Mezzo-soprano Katherine Rohrer, a recent Adler Fellow, gave an alluring performance as her flightier sister Dorabella, deploying her dark vocal color to good effect and showing a winning looseness on stage." |
Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, Jun 27, 2005
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| "The new Dorabella was the fast-rising former Adler Fellow and Merolina, Katherine Rohrer. She brought high energy, quickness and gingery temperament to the role, setting Dorabella off from her sister unmistakably as the vulnerable, flirtatious and giddy younger sister. The production played up the physical contrast between the small, lithe Rohrer, wearing a blonde marcelled wig, and the tall, smoothly moving dark-haired Alexandra Deshorties, the Fiordiligi. Rohrer's singing was fluid, musical, and with fire (a stirring 'Smanie implacabili'), quick comedic takes and funny moves that pointed up the characterization and the comedy." |
Robert Commanday, San Francisco Classical Voice, Jun 24, 2005
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| "The new Dorabella, Katherine Rohrer, was vocally strong, comically charming. Vocally the young singer, fresh out of the SF Opera Center's training program, scored high as she has recently as Lola of Cavalleria Rusticana, in recital with Steven Blier, and - especially - as a radiant Nina in Pasatieri's The Seagull. Rohrer has both the voice and the artistry." |
Janos Gereben, San Diego Magazine, Jun 24, 2005
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| "Mezzo-soprano Katherine Rohrer created a frivolous and sexy Dorabella with great ease and a nimble voice." |
Brigitte Cormier, Forum Opera, Jul 13, 2005
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| "Among the great pleasures are the ensembles and solo arias. In their first duet, "Ah, guarda sorella," the sisters sing rapturously of their love; Rohrer's voice is somewhat richer and stronger than Deshorties'." |
Marilyn Mantay, Daily Republic, Jun 30, 2005
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As Paulina in The Queen of Spades:
(San Francisco Opera)
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| "When Paulina (the excellent Katherine Rohrer) sings a mournful folk song to divert her friend Lisa at a slumber party, the other girls listening on the floor slowly roll away, one by one, from the unhappy music." |
Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle, Jun 14, 2005
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| "Katherine Rohrer sang with warm, expressive tone as Paulina." |
Georgia Rowe, Contra Costa Times, June 14, 2005
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| "Katherine Rohrer presented a lovely voiced Paulina." |
Olivia Stapp, San Francisco Classical Voice, Jun 15, 2005
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| "There were heartfelt performances from mezzo-soprano Katherine Rohrer as Paulina." |
Richard Scheinin, Mercury News, Jun 15, 2005
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As Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro:
(Opera Colorado)
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| "Mezzo-soprano Katherine Rohrer is a pure delight as Cherubino the page. Not only does she really manage to convince as a boy, but her new take on the character's two extremely familiar arias is artistically convincing and technically impressive." |
Kelly Dean Hansen, Daily Camera, May 2, 2005
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| "Let's not overlook the third debut, Katherine Rohrer's fleshed-out Cherubino. She not only looked and acted boyish, but she projected a complexity missing in most performances that depict the lad as oversexed and nothing else. Her two arias were impeccably sung." |
Marc Shulgold, Rocky Mountain News, May 3, 2005
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As Teseo in Händel's Arianna in Creta:
(Gotham Chamber Opera)
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| "In a program note, Mr. Goren hypothesized that the reason this fine 'Arianna' has not been performed often is that it is so difficult, and this performance bore him out. Certainly the role of Teseo (Theseus), written for the castrato Carestini, is one of the hardest in the book, every aria a flood of notes spewing out as if from a fire hydrant. Katherine Rohrer, a mezzo-soprano, was deeply impressive, playing it convincingly as an angry teenage boy of about 16, all hormones and intensity, and hurling her agile voice (full but not dark) up and down the scale as she executed various bits of stage business, like brushing her teeth, without any break in the cascade of notes." |
Anne Midgette, The New York Times, Feb 12, 2005
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| "It is astonishing to observe the hero nonchalantly brushing his teeth while articulating massive roulades. Katherine Rohrer conveys the passions of Teseo with easy aplomb." |
Martin Bernheimer, Financial Times, Feb 16, 2005
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| "Even among so many works of coloratura, the role of Teseo stands out for its immense floridity, and Katherine Rohrer relished the difficulties, giving the high-wire vocal acts a real gusto and admirably balancing her hearty, rich voice and the agility the part requires. It must be said that the scene of Teseo in the bathroom - Ms. Rohrer gargling, brushing her teeth, all the while singing her roller-coaster, virtuoso lines - was a veritable hoot." |
Daniel Schlosberg, The Sun, Feb 14, 2005
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| "Katherine Rohrer's command of the demanding travesty role of Teseo was so sure that even the stage business that Alden set for her - assembling a short-wave radio set, or singing while brushing her teeth! - did not distract from her artistry." |
Russell Platt, Newsday, Feb 15, 2005
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| "As Teseo, mezzo Katherine Rohrer had just the right macho swagger and went for broke dramatically and vocally. Asked to brush her teeth during one particularly furious aria, she actually managed it. Her fiery coloratura was splendid." |
Robert Levine, Classics Today, Feb 17, 2005
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In Concert at the Herbst Theater, San Francisco:
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| "For sheer glitter and panache, it would be hard to top Mezzo-Soprano Rohrer's Berlioz. The composer's only comedy, Béatrice et Bénédict was his sole major operatic success during his lifetime, though today the least staged of his three completed operas. Rohrer's focus and convivial charms seemed ideal for the role. This was a high point." |
Heuwell Tircuit, San Francisco Classical Voice, Dec 15, 2004
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CURRENT & UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS
| GUEST ARTIST |
Liebeslieder Walzer |
New York City Ballet |
May 18, 19, 20 & 22, 2012 |
AUDIO AND VIDEO SAMPLES
OPERA EXPERIENCE - SELECTED
| Dorabella |
Così fan Tutte |
San Francisco Opera |
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| Pauline |
Pique Dame |
San Francisco Opera |
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| Stephano |
Roméo et Juliette |
Chicago Lyric Opera |
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| Nicklausse/Muse |
Les contes d'Hoffmann |
Denver Opera |
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Florida Grand Opera |
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| Messengiera/Prosserpina |
Orfeo |
Glimmerglass Opera |
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| Vitage |
Flavio |
New York City Opera |
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| Lola |
Cavalleria Rusticana |
San Francisco Opera |
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| Maddalena |
Rigoletto |
San Francisco Opera |
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| Teseo |
Arianna in Crete |
Gotham Chamber Opera |
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| Oberto |
Alcina |
San Francisco Opera |
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| Annina |
La Traviata |
San Francisco Opera |
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| Flora |
La Traviata |
Central City Opera |
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| Isabel Wentworth |
Mother of Us All |
San Francisco Opera |
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| Stella |
Eliot Caters What Next |
The Miller Theatre, NYC |
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| Marguerite |
Damnation of Faust |
Frankfurt Opera |
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| Clara |
Betrothal in a Monastery |
Valencia Opera |
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| Oberto |
Alcina |
Opera Lyon |
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| Pilgrim |
L'amour de loin |
Vlaamse Opera |
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| Princess Clarice |
L'amour des Trois Oranges |
Grand Théâtre de Genève |
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| Mercedes |
Carmen |
Glyndebourne Festival |
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| Carmen |
Carmen |
Glyndebourne on Tour |
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| Nina |
Tangier Tattoo |
Glyndebourne on Tour |
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| Pauline |
The Gambler |
Grange Park Opera |
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| Lady Macbeth |
Bloch's Macbeth |
UCLU Opera |
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| Sonytka |
Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk |
Teatro Municipal de Santiago |
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REPERTOIRE
OPERATIC
| 1 |
performed |
| 2 |
completely prepared |
| 3 |
in preparation or future role |
CONCERT & ORATORIO
AWARDS & DISTINCTIONSFINALIST Metropolitan National Auditions Competition
WINNER Rose Palmer Mobile Opera Competition
THIRD PLACE Metropolitan National Auditions Competition - New England Region
WINNER Eleanor McCollum Competition
FINALIST Alumni Award Stetson University
EDUCATIONAdler Fellow - San Francisco Opera
Merola Program Member - San Francisco Opera
Master's Degree in Performance - New England Conservatory
Bachelor's Degree in Music Education - Stetson University
LANGUAGES SUNGItalian, Russian, Czech, English, French, German
RECORDINGSMidsummer Night's Dream w/ Mito Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Seiji Ozawa
CONCERT & RECITAL APPEARANCES (selected)
Midsummer Night's Dream
Seiji Ozawa, conducting |
Mito Chamber Orchestra |
| Mozart's Mass in C |
Atlanta Symphony |
| Damnation of Faust |
St. Louis Symphony |
| Damnation of Faust |
Malaysia Symphony |
| Marilyn Horne Gala |
Carnegie Hall |
| Marilyn Horne Foundation Concerts |
Bradford, PA and University of Kentucky |
Liebeslieder Walzer
w/ New York City Ballet |
Lincoln Center and The Kennedy Center |
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