Laquita Mitchell

Laquita Mitchell (born 1976/1977) is an American operatic soprano. She won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2004.[1] She is known for creating the role of Julie in Omar by Rhiannon Giddens,[2][3] for starring in performances of La bohème, Carmen, Aida, Don Giovanni, and The Marriage of Figaro in leading American and international houses, for many international performances first as Clara and later as Bess in Porgy and Bess, including a DVD with the San Francisco Opera with Eric Owens as Porgy. She notably performed Paul Moravec's Sanctuary Road many times, and recorded the piece live at Carnegie Hall in an album that was nominated for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.

Biography

Mitchell was a young artist at the San Francisco Opera's Merola Opera Program in 2002.[4]

She won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2004.[1] She won the Sara Tucker Award in 2004.[5] She won first prize in Opera in the International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition in 2003. She was also First Prize Winner of the Houston Grand Opera Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers, as well as the winner of the Audience Choice award.[6]

In 2003 she sang in the premiere of The Little Prince by Rachel Portman at the Houston Grand Opera.[7]

In 2004 she sang the role of Miss Alice Ford in Verdi's Falstaff with Wolf Trap Opera.[8]

In 2005 she created the role of Myrrhine in the premiere of Mark Adamo's Lysistrata, or the Nude Goddess at Houston Grand Opera.[9]

In 2006 she sang Micaëla in Carmen with the New York City Opera.[10] She also sang the role at Cincinnati Opera, Opera Pacific, and in an adaptation with On Site Opera at Caramoor.[11]

In 2008 she sang in the premiere of August 4, 1964 by Steven Stucky with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.[12]

in 2008 she sang the role of Leonora in Il Trovatore with Nashville Opera.[8]

In 2006 she was featured at the Richard Tucker Rising Stars Concert at Alice Tully Hall.[13]

In 2009 she performed as Bess in Porgy and Bess at San Francisco Opera.[14] Her performance of Porgy and Bess with Eric Owens as Porgy was distributed as a DVD and televised.[15][16][17][18] She also sang the role of Bess in 2011 at the Tanglewood Music Festival with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, at the Atlanta Opera, Grange Park Opera, The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Budapesti Nyari Festival, The Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra, and with the BSO again in 2012.[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] She sang the role of Clara in 2009 at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Opéra-Comique, Théâtre de Caen, Festival Internacional de Música y Danza de Granada, Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg.[4]

In 2010 she starred as Mimí in La bohème with Utah Opera.[28] She also sang the role with Cincinnati Opera, and the Greater Bridgeport Symphony. She sang the role of Musetta at Los Angeles Opera in 2007.[29][8]

She sang the role of Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni with the Opera New Jersey and with Portland Opera in 2006.[30]

In 2011 she sang the leading role, Violetta, in La Traviata with New York City Opera.[31][32]

In 2013 she sang Alberto Ginastera's Cantata para la América Mágica with the New World Symphony Percussion Fellows in Florida.[33]

In 2014 Mitchell sang in David Lang's The Difficulty of Crossing a Field, subsequently recording it in 2015.[34][15]

She sang with the New York Philharmonic in 2015 in a tribute concert created by Eric Owens called "In Their Footsteps".[35][36] She also sang a concert with Eric Owens with the Cleveland Orchestra in 2013.[37]

In 2019 she recorded The Ballad of the Brown King and selected songs by Margaret Bonds with The Dessoff Choirs and Orchestra and Malcolm J. Merriweather, alongside Noah Stewart, Lucia Bradford, and Ashley Jackson.[38]

In 2020 she sang in Paul Moravec's Sanctuary Road. The piece was recorded live at Carnegie Hall with the Oratorio Society of New York. The album was nominated for a Grammy. The piece was also performed at Virginia Opera, Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, Princeton Pro Musica, Charlston Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.[14][5][39][40][41][42]

In 2021 during the enforced pandemic closure of David Geffen Hall, she gave open air concerts with the Harlem Chamber Players and a New York Philharmonic string quartet presented by the New York Philharmonic as a part of their NY Phil Bandwagon 2 initiative.[43] She also performed with Stephanie Blythe in On Site Opera's online Lesson Plan.[44][45]

In 2022 she starred in Tom Cipullo's Josephine at New Orleans Opera and at Opera Colorado in 2019.[5][46][47]

She was broadcast as a part of the WQXR Christmas Concert in 2022.[48]

In 2023 she sang the role of Contessa in The Marriage of Figaro with New Orleans Opera and with the Washington Opera Society.[49][8]

In 2023 she sang in the concert "Marin Alsop: American Voices" with the Cincinnati May Festival.[8]

In 2024 she sang the role of Vereveine in Pauline Viardot's Le Dernier Sorcier at the Fischer Center at Bard Summerscape.[8]

She sang Verdi's Requiem with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in 2023, and in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, and Mahler's Symphony No. 4 with Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra in 2021.[8][6]

She created the role of Julie in Omar by Rhiannon Giddens at the Spoleto Festival USA.[2][3][50]

in 2024 she sang as part of the Julia Perry Centennial Celebration and Festival in New York.[51][52]

In 2025 she sang the title role in Aida at Dayton Opera.[53][54]

She sang in 2025 at the Cleveland Orchestra's 45th Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Concert.[55]

Mitchell is a member of the voice faculty of Mannes School of Music as well as the Conservatory of Music of Brooklyn College.

Discography

  • 2020 Paul Moravec: Sanctuary Road (Laquita Mitchell / Kent Tritle)
  • 2019 Margaret Bonds: The Ballad of the Brown King & Selected Songs (Dessoff Choirs / Dessoff Orchestra / Ashley Jackson / Malcolm J. Merriweather / Laquita Mitchell)
  • 2015 David Lang & Mac Wellman: The Difficulty of Crossing a Field (Harlem Quartet)[15]

DVD

References

  1. ^ a b "Music Review; Some Opera Stars of Tomorrow Vying for a Career Jump-Start". The New York Times. March 23, 2004. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "At the Spoleto Festival, Opera Is an Act of Liberation". The New York Times. May 30, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Review: Spoleto Festival debuts the profound and moving new opera Omar". artsatl.org. June 2, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Hamlin, Jesse (June 7, 2009). "Opera updates stirring Porgy and Bess". SFGATE. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c Salazar, Francisco (January 3, 2022). "Artist of the Week: Laquita Mitchell". OperaWire. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Soprano Laquita Mitchell to join RI Philharmonic Saturday". Westerly Sun. May 13, 2021. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  7. ^ "Opera Review; Taking Off on a Wing and a Balancing Act". The New York Times. June 5, 2003. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g "Laquita Mitchell performances". Operabase. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  9. ^ "With Chastity as a Sword, Women Take Up Arms". The New York Times. March 7, 2005. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  10. ^ "Carmen, That Devilish and Dangerous Free-Spirited Gypsy, Is at It Again in a City Opera Production". The New York Times. April 10, 2006. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  11. ^ Mary Ellyn Hutton (2014). "Cincinnati Opera's Carmen Unqualified Success". www.musicincincinnati.com. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  12. ^ Bothwell, Anne (September 19, 2008). "Review: DSO Premieres August 4, 1964". Art&Seek. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  13. ^ "For the Young Faces of Opera, a Night to Show Off in Style". The New York Times. January 13, 2006. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  14. ^ a b "The Last Water Fountain: The Struggle Against Systemic Racism in Classical Music". www.sfcv.org. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  15. ^ a b c "Laquita Mitchell Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio &..." AllMusic. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  16. ^ "What's on TV Friday". The New York Times. October 17, 2014. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  17. ^ "S.F. Opera's Porgy & Bess and PBS Shows". www.sfcv.org. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  18. ^ "TV review: S.F. Opera's Porgy and Bess luminous even onscreen". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  19. ^ "Theater Review: The BSO Delivers Porgy and Bess with Gusto at Tanglewood". Arts Fuse. August 29, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  20. ^ "Review: Atlanta Opera returns to its native strength in Porgy and Bess". Arts ATL. February 28, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  21. ^ Duchen, Jessica (June 10, 2019). "Porgy and Bess, Grange Park Opera review - good versus evil in Catfish Row". theartsdesk.com. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  22. ^ "Porgy and Bess – Grange Park Opera". Musical Theatre Review. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  23. ^ "Despite technical glitches, BSO's Porgy proves rich and evocative". bostonclassicalreview.com. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  24. ^ "Porgy and Bess review, Grange Park Opera, Surrey, 2019". The Stage. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  25. ^ Brall, Susan (April 12, 2019). "Concert Review: Porgy & Bess by Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at Strathmore". Maryland Theatre Guide. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  26. ^ Donelan, Charles (May 19, 2015). "Review: Santa Barbara Symphony's Porgy and Bess". Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  27. ^ "BSO brings back Porgy and Bess — with amplification". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  28. ^ Catherine Reese Newton (October 18, 2010). "Beloved Bohème opens Utah Opera's season". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  29. ^ "La bohème at Los Angeles Opera, reviewed by Maria Nockin". www.mvdaily.com. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  30. ^ "www.TownTopics.com — Music Review". www.towntopics.com. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  31. ^ "City Opera Director Defends New Season". The New York Times. July 12, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  32. ^ "Dancing to Deathbed, Traditionally". The New York Times. February 13, 2012. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  33. ^ "New World Percussion Consort opens season with a bracing mix". southfloridaclassicalreview.com. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  34. ^ "A Strange Disappearance and What the Neighbors Have to Say About It". The New York Times. September 29, 2014. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  35. ^ Zachary Woolfe (October 15, 2015). "Review: 'In Their Footsteps', a New York Philharmonic Tribute". The New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  36. ^ Stearns, David Patrick (October 15, 2015). "Review: Eric Owens Opens Philharmonic Residency with Uneven Footsteps". WQXR Operavore. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  37. ^ "Review: Cleveland Orchestra: Porgy and Bess and Franklin Cohen at Blossom (July 21)". Cleveland Classical. July 24, 2013. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  38. ^ Johnson, Anne E. (March 31, 2020). "The Nativity, Told From An African-American Vantage | Classical Voice North America". Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  39. ^ "Sanctuary Road: Topical and Skillful, but Enduring?". www.classicstoday.com. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  40. ^ ccaspell (May 7, 2018). "Oratorio Society of New York at Carnegie Hall". Classical Source. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  41. ^ "Sanctuary Road: An Important American Opera". VEER Magazine. January 25, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  42. ^ Peter Tonguette. "Concert review | Columbus Symphony: Symphony, Chorus, singers outdo themselves in telling American stories". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  43. ^ Zachary Woolfe (April 30, 2021). "The New York Philharmonic Is Coming. In a Shipping Container". The New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  44. ^ "On Site Opera Sends Up the Online Medium". www.sfcv.org. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  45. ^ Gervais, Gigi. "Stephanie Blythe and Laquita Mitchell Headline Lesson Plan Premiere". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  46. ^ "Opera Colorado Goes Digital with Josephine and The Promise of Living". Westword. Denver. March 4, 2021. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  47. ^ "Opera star Laquita Mitchell brings Josephine to life". Seattle Gay News. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  48. ^ "WQXR Christmas Concert | WQXR Special Programming". WQXR. December 23, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  49. ^ "Theatre review: The Marriage of Figaro from New Orleans Opera at Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts". British Theatre Guide. September 29, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  50. ^ Paulk, James L. "Review: Spoleto Festival debuts the profound and moving new opera Omar". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  51. ^ Magazine, Harlem World (March 5, 2024). "Rediscovered Music Of Julia Perry Featured In Four-Day Festival In New York". Harlem World Magazine. Archived from the original on November 3, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  52. ^ "A Word with All These Pieces". Chamber Music America. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  53. ^ Salazar, David (February 27, 2025). "Laquita Mitchell Headlines Dayton Opera's Aida". OperaWire. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  54. ^ "'The grandest of grand opera': More than 100 people in Aida at Schuster Center". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  55. ^ McLaughlin, Kevin (January 23, 2025). "Cleveland Orchestra celebrates Coretta Scott King in uplifting and joyful MLK concert (Jan. 19)". Cleveland Classical. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  56. ^ "Porgy & Bess on DVD and Blu-ray". www.sfcv.org. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  57. ^ Kosman, Joshua. "Porgy holds up well on small screen". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on August 11, 2025. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
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