Grace Brooks
Mezzo-Soprano
Austin, Texas
USA
Union Affiliation
Equity Membership Candidate
Biography
"Grace Brooks was a Berta who thought both Dr Bartolo and Rosina were crazy. She is still in the AZ Opera Young Artist Program, but she is fast becoming a finished singer and her aria was a delight to hear."-Maria Nockin; Opera Today
“Grace’s singing is so lovely it almost pains the heart to hear it.” - Kie Relyea; Bellingham Herald.
Known for her lovely, warm timbre and striking characterizations, Grace’s current engagements include opera, theatre, oratorio and concerts. As a member of the Arizona Opera Studio, she will perform the Page in Salome and Berta in The Barber of Seville on Mainstage, and Musetta in La Boheme in the Arizona Opera School Tour. Recently, she has performed Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Mama Bear in Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Carmen in Belleayre Music Festival’s Opera Gala, Mrs. McLean in Susannah and Mrs. Andressen in A Little Night Music as well as Lucy/The White Witch in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Henry/King George in The Industrious Mr. Franklin and Lilly’s Mom in Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse.
Grace graduated from Longy School of Music’s Graduate Performance Program in Opera after receiving a Masters of Arts in Acting and Bachelors of Music in Sacred Music. Grace received additional training and performance experince as a studio artist with Opera New Jersey.
Upcoming Performances
| Recital Soloist | HAAM Benefit Recital | Westminster Presbyterian Church | 2011 |
| Dorabella/Carmen | Opera on a Stick! | Austin Lyric Opera | 2011 |
Roles Performed
| Carmen | Carmen | Spotlight on Opera | 2011 |
| Berta | The Barber of Seville | Arizona Opera | 2010 |
| Rosina | The Barber of Seville | Arizona Opera | 2010† |
| Musetta | La Boheme | Arizona Opera | 2010† |
| Soloist | Solo Recital | Arizona Opera | 2010 |
| Musetta | La Boheme | Arizona Opera: School Tour | 2009 |
| Page | Salome | Arizona Opera | 2009 |
| Alisa | Lucia di Lammermoor | Opera New Jersey | 2009† |
| Mrs. McLean | Susannah | Opera Company of Brooklyn | 2009 |
| Mrs. Andressen | A Little Night Music | Key West Pops Symphony | 2009 |
| Stephano | Romeo et Juliette | New Orleans Opera; Opera on Tap | 2009‡ |
| Rose Maurrant | Street Scene | New Orleans Opera; Opera on Tap | 2009‡ |
| Cherubino | Le Nozze di Figaro | Opera Company of Brooklyn | 2008† |
| Mignon | Mignon | Pacific Opera Ensemble | 2008‡ |
| Mother | Amahl and the Night Visitors | Eastern Festival Opera | 2008 |
| Zerlina | Don Giovanni | Hill House Opera | 2008 |
| Cherubino | Le Nozze di Figaro | Astoria Symphony | 2008 |
| Carmen | Carmen | Belleayre Music Festival | 2008‡ |
| Mama Bear | Goldilocks and the Three Bears | Belleayre Music Festival | 2008 |
| Ensemble | Peter Grimes | One World Symphony | 2008 |
| Miss Wordsworth | Albert Herring | Intermezzo Opera | 2007 |
| Suor Genovieffa | Suor Angelica | Intermezzo Opera | 2007 |
| Pamina | Die Zauberflöte | Intermezzo Opera | 2007† |
| Arminda | La Finta Giardiniera (Mozart) | Longy School of Music | 2006 |
| Lola | Cavalleria Rusticana | Longy School of Music | 2006 |
| Sister Mouse | The Tailor of Gloucester | Longy Children's Opera | 2005 |
| Yum-Yum | The Mikado | Bellingham Community Theatre | 2004 |
| Laetita | The Old Maid and the Thief | Western Washington University | 2004 |
| Yum-Yum | The Mikado | Gillbert & Sullivan Society of Shreveport | 2001 |
| Lauretta | Gianni Schhicchi | Centenary Opera | 2001 |
| Jennie Parsons | Down in the Valley (Kurt Weill) | Centenary Opera | 2000 |
| Alice | Sunday Excursion (Alec Wilder) | Centenary Opera | 1999 |
| Barbarina | Le Nozze di Figaro | Centenary Opera | 1998 |
| Chorus Member | Seasons 1997-2001 | Shreveport Opera | |
Concerts/Oratorios Performed
| Soloist | Cantata No. 68 (Bach) | All Soul's Presbyterian Church | 2008 |
| Soloist | Exsultate Jubilate (Mozart) | Ensemble via Romen | 2006 |
| Soloist | Requiem (Rutter) | Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Bellingham, WA | 2004 |
| Soloist | Pietà (Frahm; World Premiere) | St. Paul's Church in Bellingham, WA | 2003 |
| Soloist | Great Mass in C Minor (Mozart) | St. Paul's Church in Bellingham, WA | 2002 |
| Soloist | Stabat Mater (Pergolesi) | St. Mark's Cathedral in Shreveport, LA | 2001 |
| Soloist | Matthäuspassion (Bach) | St. Mark's Catherdral in Shreveport, LA | 2001 |
| Soloist | Johannes Passion (Bach) | St. Mark's Catherdral of Shreveport, LA | 2001 |
| Soloist | Requiem (Rutter) | Louisana School for Math, Science and the Arts | 1997 |
Musical Theater Performed
| Chorus | Blood Brothers (Willy Russell) | Majoire Lyons Playhouse | 2001 |
| Belle | Beauty and the Beast | Opera New Jersey | 2009‡ |
Awards
| Semi-Finalist | Shreveport Opera Singer of the Year | 2009 |
Theater Performed
| Mom | Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse | The Growing Stage | 2008 |
| Lucy/ The White Witch | The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | Traveling Lantern | 2008 |
| Henry/ King George III/ Narrator | The Industriuos Bejamin Franklin | Traveling Lantern | 2008 |
| Cathy Connolly/ Zubaida Ula | The Laramie Project | Incendiary Ensemble | 2007 |
| Ariel | The Tempest | Western Washington Unversity | 2005‡ |
| Desdemona | Othello | Western Washington Unveristy | 2005‡ |
| Maria | Twelth Night | Western Washington University | 2005‡ |
| Scarlet | Coyote Ugly | Western Washington University | 2004 |
| Callie Pax | Stop Kiss | Western Washington UNiversity | 2004 |
| Mary Ann/ Mary Lou | The Exact Center of the Universe | Shreveport Little Theatre | 2003 |
| Alice | The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket | Bossier Parrish Community College | 2003 |
Education
| Longy School of Music | Opera Performance | Graduate Performance Diploma | 2007 |
| Western Washington University | Theatre; Acting | Masters of Arts | 2005 |
| Centenary College of Louisiana | Sacred Music | Bachelors of Music | 2001 |
Training
| Arizona Opera Studio Artist | 2009-2010 |
| Opera New Jersey Studio Artist | 2009 |
| Resident Artist at the Opera Company of Brooklyn | 2008-2009 |
| Eastern Festival Opera Apprentice Program | 2008 |
| Intermezzo Young Artist Program | 2007 |
| Solfest Opera Program | 2006 |
| East West International Music Academy | 2001 |
| East-West International Music Academy | 2000 |
| Harrower Opera Workshop | 1999 |
Artistic Affiliates
Conductors
J. David Jackson (2007), Elaine Rinaldi (2007), Jeffery Rink (2006-2007), Dana Maiben (2006)
Directors
Donald Westwood (2008), Andrew Chown (2007), Jonathan Loy (2007), Donna Roll (2005-2007), Greg Ganakas (2000)
Teachers
Sherry Overholt (2007-Current), Donna Roll (2005-2007), Felicia Dobbs (2002-2005), Joan Metelli (2001-2002), Dr Gale Odom (1997-2001)
Coaches
J. David Jackson (2007-Current), Keith Chambers (2007-Current), Joan Krueger (2007-Current), Noriko Yasuda (2005-2007), Tom Enman (2005-2007)