Biography

The 2022-2023 season brings significant debuts for American mezzo-soprano, Irene Roberts. She begins the season with her house debut at Opéra National de Lyon as Venus in a new production of Tannhäuser by David Hermann led by conductor Daniele Rustioni. Immediately following her debut in Lyon she returns to Berlin to debut as Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde alongside Nina Stemme led by Sir Donald Runnicles. She also makes her debut in Japan at the New National Theater of Tokyo as Amneris in Aida led by conductor Carlo Rizzi followed by her debut with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra singing Marie in Wozzeck conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles. Her other performances at the Deutsche Oper Berlin include the Rätselstimmung in Antikrist, the title role in Carmen, and Fenena in Nabucco.

She has a close relationship with the Deutsche Oper Berlin where her many roles have included the title in Carmen, Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel, Marguerite in La Damnation de Faust, Nicklausse in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Urbain in Les Huguenots, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, Fenena in Nabucco, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, and Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. She recently made her debuts at the Opéra National de Lorraine and Opéra de Dijon as the title role in Julie by Philippe Boesmans, Stadttheater Klagenfurt as Venus in Tannhäuser, the Dutch National Opera as Nicklausse, Teatro la Fenice in Venice as Amneris in Aida, and the Macerata Opera Festival in Carmen. Irene just completed her first studio recording with Opera Rara performing Malvina Douglas in Mercadante’s Il Proscritto under the baton of Carlo Rizzi to be released in early 2023.

Roberts also has a close relationship with the San Francisco Opera where she made her debut in Les Contes d’Hoffmann in 2013. She has since returned as the title role in Calixto Bieto’s US debut production of Carmen, the world premiere of Bright Sheng’s Dream of the Red Chamber and as Dorabella in a new production of Così fan tutte. Past engagements have included Le nozze di Figaro and Parsifal at the Metropolitan Opera, Don Giovanni, Madama Butterfly, Les Contes d’Hoffmann, and Ariadne auf Naxos at Palm Beach Opera, L’Italiana in Algeri with Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Marschner’s Der Vampyr at New Orleans Opera, Il barbiere di Siviglia with Atlanta Opera, and Gounod’s Faust with Lyric Opera Baltimore.

On the concert stage, Roberts embarked on a five-city tour of France in May of 2017 with the Orchestre National d’Île-de-France as a soloist for Rossini’s Stabat Mater under the baton of Enrique Mazzola. Roberts made her debut at London’s Wigmore Hall in 2016 in recital with tenor Bryan Hymel and pianist Julius Drake. Previous concert engagements include performances with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl.

Roberts studied classical piano for over 20 years and pursued her education as a vocal performance major at the University of the Pacific and the Cleveland Institute of Music. She is a graduate of the young artist program at Palm Beach Opera and won 2nd prize in the Advanced Division at the 41st Annual Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition.