Erika Wueschner
Soprano
Soprano Erika Wueschner has enjoyed early career success in the field of opera. Los Angeles Opera recently engaged her for their Young Artists program beginning in fall 2009. Ms. Wueschner then went on to cover the role of Helmwige in Die Walküre at Los Angeles; and she is also engaged to cover the following roles for them in 2009/2010: Carlotta in Die Gezeichneten, March 2010; Sieglinde (2nd cover), 3rd Norn, and Helmwig in Götterdammerung and Die Walküre; Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro; and Elsa in Lohengrin. Also early in 2010, she will be the soprano sololist for an "Ode to Beethoven" concert for Opera Hong Kong; and in 2013, she is engaged to perform Freia in Das Rheingold for the Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona.
Ms. Wueschner also recently made her Carnegie Hall debut, where she was featured as soprano soloist in Vivaldi's Gloria. She performed the title role in Bellini's Norma with Delaware Valley Opera. Earlier in the 2008/2009 season, she created the role of The Ghost of Maria Callas in the world premier of Paul Salerni's new opera, Tony Caruso's Final Broadcast, under the auspices of Opera Works and the National Opera Association.
She has appeared as Mimì in Puccini's La Bohème with both Opera of the Pacific and the Brevard Music Festival; as Lucia in Hindemith's The Long Christmas Dinner with the Lincoln Center Theatre Lab at the esteemed Vivian Beaumont Theatre; and she has also collaborated with distinguished pianist and opera coach Steven Blier in performance of Zarzuelas. A graduate of the Juilliard School, she was a member of Juilliard's Opera Theatre where she performed the roles of Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni. She is also a New York City district winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
Equally at home singing oratorio and recitals, Ms. Wueschner has been featured as soprano soloist in Mozart's Mass in C at St. John's Smith's Square in London; and as a recitalist at the American Irish Historical Association, the St. John's Chamber Music Series, and the 92nd Street YMCA. A Piatigorsky Foundation artist since 2001, she has performed over one hundred recitals for the foundation in venues across the United States. Ms. Wueschner has been engaged as soprano soloist by Opera of the Pacific in Orff's Carmina Burana; by the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society in Handel's Judas Maccabaeus; by the Shrewsbury Chorale in Mozart's Mass in C; and as the soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah under the direction of Weston Noble. In addition, she has performed Barber's Hermit Songs with pianist and coach Martin Katz, and Berlioz's Nuits d'été with Metropolitan Opera assistant conductor Denise Masse. Her recital experience also includes performances in the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, as well as the Juilliard School's Liederabend and Songbook series. In addition to her singing engagements, Erika has also conducted masterclasses throughout the United States.
Ms. Wueschner has participated in masterclasses given by Warren Jones, Shirley Verrett (under the auspices of the Marilyn Horne Foundation), and Sir Charles Mackerras. She holds a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School, where she was a recipient of the Alice Tully, Raymond-Cryder and Lorber memorial scholarships. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College in her native state, Iowa.