Lisette Oropesa
Born: 1983-09-29 in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Known For: Acting
Biography
Lisette Oropesa (born September 29, 1983) is an American operatic soprano of Cuban ancestry. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, she grew up in Baton Rouge and initially studied the flute for a decade before shifting her focus to vocal performance at Louisiana State University. Her operatic career formally launched after she won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2005, which led her to join the Met's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. At 22 years old, she performed her first major role at the Metropolitan Opera as Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, marking the beginning of an extensive relationship with the house where she has since sung in over 140 performances. Oropesa is celebrated for her seamless vocal technique and lyric coloratura soprano voice. Her extensive repertoire spans classical and romantic eras, including works by Gluck, Handel, Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, Wagner, Verdi, Bizet, Massenet, Bellini, and Puccini. Demonstrating strong linguistic affinity, she performs in her native English and Spanish, as well as in Italian, French, and German. She is particularly acclaimed for her interpretations of leading roles, including Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Gilda in Rigoletto, Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, Manon, Violetta in La Traviata, and Elvira in I Puritani. Oropesa is a regular headliner at the world's most prestigious opera houses, starring in productions at the Teatro alla Scala, the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, the Opéra National de Paris, and the Vienna State Opera. Her artistry has been recognized with some of the opera world's highest accolades, including the Richard Tucker Award, the Beverly Sills Artist Award, and the Franco Abbiati Prize. She was also named Singer of the Year at the 2024 International Opera Awards and, in 2023, was honored as a "Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" by the French government.
Filmography
2026
- Lucia di Lammermoor as Lucia
- The Metropolitan Opera: Tristan und Isolde as Live in HD host
- The Metropolitan Opera: I Puritani as Elvira
2025
- Donizetti: Maria Stuarda - Salzburg Festival as Maria Stuarda
2024
- Gaetano Donizetti: Maria Stuarda as Maria Stuarda
- La Sonnambula - Rome
2023
- Il turco in Italia - Teatro Real de Madrid as Fiorilla
2022
- I Capuleti e i Montecchi as Giulietta
- Rigoletto - ROH as Gilda
2021
- La Traviata as Violetta Valéry
- Gala del Belcanto - Omaggio al melodramma di Bellini e Donizetti
2020
2019
- The Metropolitan Opera: Manon as Manon Lescaut
- Verdi: I Masnadieri - Teatro alla Scala as Amalia
2018
- Opéra National de Paris: Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots as Marguerite de Valois
- Lucia di Lammermoor
2015
- Le Nozze di Figaro: San Francisco Opera as Susanna
2014
- The Metropolitan Opera: Werther as Sophie
2013
- Falstaff - San Francisco Opera as Nannetta
- Verdi: Falstaff as Nannetta
2010
- Das Rheingold as Woglinde
2009
- The Metropolitan Opera: Puccini's La Rondine as Lisette
2008
- The Metropolitan Opera: Hansel and Gretel as The Dew Fairy
- Manon Lescaut – The Met as Madrigal singer
2007
- Puccini's Il trittico as Lay sister
1971
- Great Performances as Elvira