Mary Beth Nelson | mezzo-soprano
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“Mezzo Mary Beth Nelson has everything she needs and more for success in this repertory: an attractive stage figure who moves expertly, she showed ease and vocal clarity in both traditional mezzo and soprano Rosina turf.”
- David Shengold
Opera News
Photo Credit: Eva Ravel

BIOGRAPHY


Mezzo-soprano Mary Beth Nelson was recently praised by Opera News for her “ardent, focused, von-Stadean mezzo” with Juilliard Opera in Handel’s Atalanta with the Juilliard415 historical performance orchestra. This spring she made her Merkin Concert Hall debut in the Vocal Arts Honors Recital with The Juilliard School. Recently, she sang the world premiere of Daniel Ficarri's Lessons from the Neighborhood, a song cycle scored for mezzo-soprano, organ, and string quintet at her graduate recital. In summer 2023, she will join the Filene Artists roster at Wolf Trap Opera, singing Siebel in Gounod’s Faust as well as a recital with pianist Steven Blier.


Last season Ms. Nelson debuted at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall as the alto soloist in the Bach B Minor Mass with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Maestro Richard Egarr. An advocate of new music, Ms. Nelson was the soloist for the world-premiere of Paul Frehner’s Sometimes the Devil Plays Fate, which will be released on Centrediscs label with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Gemma New on May 24, 2023.


Ms. Nelson is a current recipient of the FENDI Vanguard Award. She has won prizes and awards with the Gerda Lissner Foundation (2023), the Fort Worth McCammon Voice Competition (2023), Career Bridges (2022, 2019), the Loren L. Zachary National Vocal Competition (2021), the Rochester International Vocal Competition (2020), the Houston Grand Opera Eleanor McCollum Competition (2019), the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (2020, 2014), and is a proud recipient of a Kovner Fellowship at The Juilliard School.


Ms. Nelson has appeared at Opera Delaware, Opera Baltimore, The Glimmerglass Festival, Florida Grand Opera, Painted Sky Opera, Bronx Opera, Tri-Cities Opera, and Houston Grand Opera. She holds a degree from Oklahoma City University and is currently pursuing her Master of Music degree at The Juilliard School. 
Photo credit: Eva Ravel
Updated December 2022

UPCOMING


Recital
with Steven Blier, piano


Sunday, June 4th at 2:00pm

​The Barns at Wolf Trap
MORE INFO

Faust
Siebel


​Music by Charles Gounod
French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré

July 21, 23, 27, and 29, 2023

​The Barns at Wolf Trap
MORE INFO

NOTEWORTHY


2/01/2023

Opera News: Atalanta Review in February 2023 magazine (print) 
  • Nelson praised by Opera News for her “ardent, focused, von-Staden mezzo.” - Joanne Sydney Lessner

1/31/2023

Broadway World: Wolf Trap Announces First Opera, Classical, Music, Film, and Dance Performances for the 2023 Season
  • Nelson makes her Wolf Trap Opera debut as Siebel in Gounod’s Faust
  • Filene Artist Roster
  • Recital with Steven Blier

11/17/2022

L’OFFICIEL MAGAZINE: Watch the 2022 Fendi Vanguard Award Winners Take Center Stage.

11/17/2022

L’OFFICIEL MAGAZINE: Meet the Juilliard School’s FENDI Award Winners ​by Rachel Gilman

9/23/2022

​CULTURED MAGAZINE: FENDI and the Juilliard School Honor Four Young Art Talents by Zoel Harris

​7/26/2022

Mary Beth Nelson is named FENDI VANGUARD SCHOLAR
Harper’s Baazar      
 
Juilliard Journal          
V Magazine         
Woman’s Wear Daily        
The Daily Front Row       
​
Oxtero
Photo credit: Eva Ravel
- Thank you, friends, family, and supporters -
© 2023 by Mary Beth Nelson
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