REBECCA HENRY

BIO

With her “beautiful mezzo timbre,” Rebecca Henry is capturing the attention of audiences throughout North America.  Recent roles include Second and Third Lady (Die Zauberflöte), Rosina (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Hänsel (Hänsel und Gretel), Mrs. Grose (Turn of the Screw), Petra (A Little Night Music), and Ramiro (La finta giardiniera). She made her debut in China performing televised concerts as Prince Orlofsky at venues including the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the Suzhou Culture and Arts Center, and the Hangzhou Grand Theater. While in China she learned to sing in Mandarin under the tutelage of Hao Jiang Tian as part of the I Sing Festival. Other recent appearances include Alto Soloist in Beethoven 9 performed with Maestro Liang Zhang of the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, and Soloist for the song cycle A Heart in Hiding by Gwyneth Walker with Thomas Circle Singers. She has a passion for new music and has had the privilege of premiering a number of pieces through out her career including pieces by composers Jordan Kuspa, Ezra Donner, Elisabeth Mehl Greene. 

Previously, she was heard as an artist with Pittsburgh Festival Opera and as an apprentice artist with Charlottesville Opera (Ash Lawn Opera).  Ms. Henry is distinguishing herself as a communicative and engaging performer. Lauded for her convincing portrayals in trouser roles, Rebecca has appeared as Tirinto in Handel’s Imeneo, Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel, both with Opera McGill as and Prince Orlofsky with the Janiec Opera Company in their production of Die Fledermaus. Also with the Janiec Opera Company, Ms. Henry was awarded “special kudos” for her portrayal as the comical aunt, Zita, in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. She has brought her “signature energy and professionalism” to a number of other roles including Pitti-Sing (The Mikado) and the Third Spirit (The Magic Flute), both as part of her three season Young Artist residence with the Janiec Opera Company at Brevard Music Center. Other credits include the tormented Mrs. Grose from Britten’s The Turn of the Screw and the comical Arnalta of Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea, both with Opera McGill. 

Equally at home on the concert stage, Ms. Henry has appeared on numerous occasions as an oratorio soloist singing Honegger’s King David, Bach’s Magnificat, Saint-Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio, and The Mozart Requiem. A dedicated recitalist, Ms. Henry’s most recent recital included a collaboration with renowned pianist Michael Shannon. The program featured works such as Schumann’s Frauenliebe und Leben along with Libby Larsen’s song cycle Love After 1950, a piece which Ms. Henry had the privilege of coaching with Susanne Mentzer, the praised Mezzo-Soprano for whom the cycle was originally written. 

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Ms. Henry in the recipient of numerous prizes and awards including the Robert and Rachel Ames Prize, the John and Sally Cox Prize. She was awarded the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston’s Voice Scholarship, and placed in the Sue Goetz Ross Competition. Ms. Henry received her masters of Music from the Schulich School of Music at McGill University and her Bachelors of Music from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.