+++
date = "2018-01-17T21:25:00-05:00"
discipline = "Mezzo-soprano"
lastmod = "2018-01-17T21:25:00-05:00"
primary_image = "https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1516242224176/19.jpg.jpg"
primary_image_credit = "Tara Tomlinson"
publishDate = "2018-01-17T21:25:00-05:00"
related_companies = ["scene/companies/the-metropolitan-opera.md","scene/companies/beth-morrison-projects.md","scene/companies/american-opera-projects.md","scene/companies/on-site-opera.md","scene/companies/lyric-opera-of-kansas-city.md","scene/companies/san-diego-opera.md","scene/companies/sarasota-opera.md","scene/companies/des-moines-metro-opera.md","scene/companies/san-francisco-opera.md"]
slug = "blythe-gaissert"
title = "Blythe Gaissert"
website = "http://www.blythegaissert.com/"
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platform = "Facebook"
template = "social-media"
url = "https://www.facebook.com/BlytheGaissert/"
[[social_media]]
platform = "Twitter"
template = "social-media"
url = "https://twitter.com/bspirit2"
+++

Mezzo-Soprano Blythe Gaissert has established herself as a fresh and exciting artist in great demand in the United States for opera, concert and recital engagements. This Texas native has received great praise from critics for her rich sound and intense, dramatic interpretations of operatic roles.

In the coming 2017-18 season, Ms. Gaissert will be involved in two world premieres. She will create the role of Walker Loats in Mikael Karlsson's one woman opera *The Echo Drift* as a part of the 2018 Prototype Festival in NYC. She will also sing Hester Prynne in the world premiere of *The Scarlet Professor* in August presented in conjunction with Smith and Amherst Colleges, and Sadie in a new version of Ricky Ian Gordon's opera *Morning Star* with On Site Opera in New York City. She will reprise her role as Hannah After in the groundbreaking opera *As One* in company debuts with San Diego Opera and Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Ms. Gaissert finishes her season with a debut at the Dallas Symphony with conductor Jaap van Zweden as Siegrune in *Die Walkure*.

In the 2016-17 season, Ms. Gaissert performed Cleopatra in Berlioz’ exciting monodrama *La Mort de Cleopatre* with On Site Opera and reprised the role of Hannah After in a new production of *As One* with Opera Colorado. She  also performed Brian Schober's monodrama *White Witch* at Roulette NYC, made her Town Hall debut as a part of the Opera America New Works Forum, served as soloist in the Mozart *Requiem* with the National Chorale at David Geffen Hall, and performed a solo recital with double bassist Louis Levitt of Sybarite5 as a part of the Phoenix Concert Series. Other concert engagements include *Dover Beach* and excerpts from *As One* with the Bronx Arts Ensemble, a recital with ensemble I the Siren at the University of Nebraska and Ravel’s *Chansons de Madecasses* with the Music Mountain Festival in CT. 

The 2015-16 season was representative of Ms. Gaissert's strong interest in creating and performing new music and includes performances with American Opera Projects’ Composers and the Voice project where Ms. Gaissert is a resident artist. This season also brings the world premiere of the opera *The Whole Truth* by Robert Paterson with American Modern Ensemble in NYC and then a performance in their season finale concert "Voices of Thunder" with music by Warren Benson, David T. Little, Robert Beaser, and Marta Ptaszynska, as well as performances at the Opera America Conference in Montreal where she helped to promote new works *As One* by Laura Kaminsky and *Morning Star* by Ricky Ian Gordon and with the classical alt-rock group The Knells. Shealso served as a soloist in Bach’s B Minor Mass with the Canterbury Choral Society. 

In 2014-15 season, Ms. Gaissert sang with the American Opera Projects program Composers and the Voice final concert and performed the west coast premiere of the role of "Hannah After" in the groundbreaking chamber opera *As One*, which she also covered in its world premiere at BAM. The season also included a week residency at UC Davis including a solo recital with pianist Eric Zivian and performances of Mahler's *Ruckert Lieder*, new operas by Martin Hennessey and Alden Terry, and Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra.

In2013-14, Ms. Gaissert began a season of musical debuts. Performances of Ravel's *Trois Poemes de Stefan Mallarme* and Copland's *American Songs* with the Sarasota Orchestra, and a role debut of Prince Orlovsky with Sarasota Opera in *Die Fledermaus*. Gaissert returned to the Glacier Symphony in Montana to sing her first *Das Lied von der Erde* and debuted with the Duluth Symphony and Verdi's *Requiem*.

In prior seasons, Ms. Gaissert worked with the Metropolitan Opera, where she covered the Second Secretary in *Nixon in China* and Siegrune in *Die Walkure* for three seasons.  created the role of Zellah in Matthew Harris' opera *The Mark of Cain* with Chelsea Opera and made her debut with the Sarasota Orchestra singing Berio's *Folk Songs* with their new music series conducted by Dirk Meyer. Ms. Gaissert also covered both the title role of Mary and the role of Martha in the new Peter Sellars staging of John Adams dramatic oratorio *The Gospel According to the Other Mary* with The Los Angeles Philharmonic both in the US and on tour to London, Paris and Lucerne. Ms. Gaissert made her debut with the Lyrique en Mer Festival in Belle-Ile, France as Maddalena in *Rigoletto*, and returned to the Glacier Symphony to sing Elgar's Sea Pictures.  Other company debuts with Mother Marie of the Incarnation with Des Moines Metro Opera in their production of Poulenc's *Dialogues of the Carmelites* and with National Chorale and their performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony at Avery Fisher Hall. Ms. Gaissert has performed The Isrealitish Man in Handel's *Judas Maccabeus* with Los Angeles Opera under the baton of James Conlon, the title role in *The Rape of Lucretia* with the Aldeburgh Festival in England, *Carmen* with Opera Southwest, as well as at the Aspen Music Festival under the baton of Julius Rudel, Mere Marie in *Dialogues of the Carmelites* (also with Maestro Conlon), Maddalena in *Rigoletto* with Sarasota Opera, Suzuki in *Madama Butterfly* with Opera Coeur D'Alene, Ms. Gaissert has also performed with the Cincinnati Opera and the Opera Teatro di Lucca. She has participated in many of the country’s major young artist programs such as the Merola Program at San Francisco Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Lake George Opera and Sarasota Opera.
