B i o g r a p h y
Praised for her captivating stage presence and recognized for her versatility, Soprano Angela Mortellaro excels in diverse vocal styles and consistently delivers quality performances in demanding roles. “The luscious tonal and physical beauty, fluent coloratura and vivacious stage presence Mortellaro brings to the title role makes us root for [her] right out of the gate.”
- Chicago Tribune, 2018
Mortellaro has sung leading roles in Lucia di Lammermoor, Roméo et Juliette, Thaïs, La Traviata, L’elisir d’amore, and has created roles in new operas including Charlie Parker’s Yardbird, Silent Night, and The Manchurian Candidate. She has sung more than twenty principal roles from the standard operatic repertoire; with convincing portrayals, she "has a great character actor's gift of disappearing into a role." - Pioneer Press
Eager for vocal challenges, Mortellaro has participated in the creation of several notable World Premier productions: the role of Doris Parker in Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD, Jocie in The Manchurian Candidate, Madeline in Silent Night, and Anna in The Book Collector. She performed with Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Lyric Unlimited, Opera Philadelphia and Madison Opera in YARDBIRD, written by composer and saxophonist Daniel Schnyder, libretto by Bridgette A Wimberly and starring Larry Brownlee. Silent Night and The Manchurian Candidate are written by Kevin Puts, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize in Music, and librettist Mark Campbell. Mortellaro has performed Silent Night with Minnesota Opera and Opera Philadelphia, and appeared in its television premier on PBS. She also premiered the role of Jocie in The Manchurian Candidate with Minnesota Opera. Other notable projects have included Jean Acker in Dominic Argento’s revised production of The Dream of Valentino with Minnesota Opera, Anna in Stella Sung’s The Book Collector with the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, and Wendy in Minnesota Opera’s workshop of Paul Moravec’s The Shining. Of her performance in The Book Collector, it was reported: “Perhaps the most impressive of all was Mortellaro, whose surprisingly powerful lyric soprano carried excitingly through the house.”
- Opera News
Mortellaro is known for her Donizetti heroines: Adina in L’elisir d’amore with the Dorset Opera Festival (UK), Norina in Don Pasquale with Sarasota Opera, Galatea in Il Pigmalione and the title role in Rita with Chicago Opera Theater, and Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor with Minnesota Opera, Dayton Opera, and Opera North. She has been described as a “perfect” Adina, and gave a “riveting - and heart-wrenching” portrayal of Lucia. Of her performances in Chicago as Galatea and Rita, “There’s not a moment when she is around that you don’t realize that she is on stage.” - Opera Wire, 2018
Other distinguished roles include Juliette in Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette with Minnesota Opera, and a “tour de force” performance in the title role of Massenet’s Thais with Florida Grand Opera. “The high D at the end of the aria was nothing short of spectacular.”
- South Florida Classical Review.
Her Mozart repertoire features Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro (Minnesota Opera) and Despina in Cosi fan tutte (Sarasota Opera and Minnesota Opera), roles she treasures and for which she has been recommended repeatedly for expressive acting and for delivering “expert comic timing.” - MinnPost
Other accomplishments: Micaela in Bizet’s Carmen with Central City Opera, Musetta in Puccini’s La Boheme with Sarasota Opera, Galatea in Acis and Galatea with Madison Opera, Sophie in Massenet’s Werther with Minnesota Opera, Amore in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice with Minnesota Opera, and three productions of Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel performed in English and German with Minnesota Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Opera Maine, all to critical acclaim.
As Soprano Soloist, Mortellaro performed with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra in Vaughn Williams A Sea Symphony and Orff’s Carmina Burana, and with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra in Beethoven's Choral Fantasy, She has sung Mozart's Exsultate Jubilate, Beethoven’s Mass in C, Bach’s Magnificat, Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, Samuel Barber’s Knoxville Summer of 1915, James Whitborne’s oratorio, Anneliese, and Margaret Brouwer's Voice of the Lake. She has presented programs of Rogers & Hammerstein and Bernstein with Sarasota Orchestra and Orlando Philharmonic, and has appeared in recital with the Artist Series of Sarasota.
Angela was a member of the Minnesota Opera Resident Artist Program where she sang numerous roles and concerts. She was a participant in the Sarasota Opera Studio Artist Program, Caramoor Opera Bel Canto Young Artist Program, Chautauqua Opera Apprentice Program, and the Aspen Music Festival and School. She was twice a First Place District Winner of The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and won the “Encouragement Award” for the Upper Midwest Regional Auditions. She is a graduate of Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music and the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater in Voice Performance.
