| Suzanne Mentzer
Voice
 SUSANNE
MENTZER joined the Shepherd School of Music in 2006 as Professor
of Voice after 6 years at DePaul University in Chicago and
on the faculty of Aspen Music Festival and School. She regularly
adjudicates competitions for Metropolitan Opera National Council
Auditions, The George London Foundation, The Schubert Club
(St. Paul), Chicago Area National Association of Teachers
of Singing, W.M. Sullivan Foundation.
Ms. Mentzer’s current and former students have gone
on to the Academy of Vocal Arts, The Juilliard School, The
Minnesota Opera Studio, Aspen Opera Theater Center, San Francisco
Opera’s Merola Program, Opera Theatre of St. Louis Young
Artists, Chicago Opera Theater Young Artists and more.
Susanne is one of today’s foremost mezzo-sopranos and
continues to actively perform. She is widely admired for her
acting and as a specialist in trouser roles, most notably
for her portrayals of Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro and
Der Komponist in Ariadne auf Naxos as well as many female
roles. Operatically she specializes in music Mozart, Berlioz
and R. Strauss. Ms. Mentzer enjoys a significant concert and
recital career, with a particular interest in chamber music,
and is known as an interpreter of the vocal works of Mahler
and as a proponent of women’s music. She has been a
guest artist at the Metropolitan Opera in leading roles since
1989, appearing on four PBS telecasts.
During the 07-08 season she will appear at the Santa Fe Opera
as Despina in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, a role
which she reprises at the Florida Grand Opera in Miami. Her
concert work takes her to the Music from Angel Fire chamber
music festival, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, The National
Symphony, Canadian National Arts Center for Berlioz La Mort
de Cléopatre and concerts in Houston: Mahler Rückertlieder
with the symphony, a program of song with the Houston DaCamera
and a faculty chamber concert at Rice in late March.
During the past season at the Metropolitan Opera she created
the role of the Mother/ Empress in the world premiere of Tan
Dun's The First Emperor, (a role she reprises in May ‘08)
and appeared with the New York Philharmonic, Chamber Music
Lincoln Center, the St. Louis and Dallas Symphony Orchestras.
Ms. Mentzer has been fortunate to have appeared on four
continents at nearly every great opera house and orchestra
under the batons of R. Abbado, Bonynge, Boulez, Chailly, Sir
Colin Davis, Sir Andrew Davis, Dutoit, Eschenbach, Haitink,
Levine, Maazel, Mackerras, Marriner, Masur, Mehta, Muti, Ozawa,Salonen,
Sawallisch, Sinopoli, among 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.
An established recitalist Ms. Mentzer has premiered two
song cycles by Libby Larsen and a monodrama by Carlisle Floyd.
Her extensive discography includes 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; and her personal favorite, Wayfaring
Stranger (Erato), a collection of international folksongs
arranged for voice and guitar with Grammy Award winning Sharon
Isbin. She also received a grammy nomination for her work
in Busoni's Arlecchino. She appears on DVDs of Les Contes
d ‘Hoffmann (Opéra de Paris), Don Giovanni(La
Scala), and The First Emperor (Metropolitan Opera).
Ms. Mentzer has her Bachelor and Master degrees from The Juilliard
School and was trained in the Houston Opera Studio. She studied
with Rose Bampton and Norma Newton. She serves on the Board
of Trustees of The Sullivan Foundation in New York and Alexian
Brothers Bonaventure House. She received the Alexian Brothers,
USA. Thelan Award for her involvement raising money through
gala concerts for the AIDS cause in Chicago.
Vocal Program
Vocal Program, Faculty
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