Mezzo-soprano Fons, especially, brought range (both vocal and emotional) to a character who isn’t much more than an archetype in the libretto. As some reviewers opined of the opera’s world premiere at Santa Fe Opera in 2017, the story here turns on a disappointing cliché: that of a good woman who helps a socially challenged genius become a better person. There’s no denying this — though there’s talk of Laurene’s MBA and professional ambitions, she first appears onstage to tell Steve he’s working too hard and needs to take a break. That Laurene is more fully fleshed out than her initial appearance suggests is thanks entirely to Fons’ performance; it’s reason alone to buy a ticket.
Megan Burbank for The Seattle Times
Main Content
Dear friends and supporters of the arts, it is with a heavy heart that I must announce the cancellation of scheduled performances in Japan, San Diego, and at the Internationale Händel Festspiele in Germany.
COVID-19 has affected the live music, opera, and theater industries in difficult and unprecedented ways. As an artistic community, while we grieve the loss of our performances, we also support the decisions made by governments and organizations worldwide as we strive to put the health and lives of our audiences and colleagues first.
I encourage you to follow me on Twitter @emilysings, and on my Facebook fan page as I continue to bring music and creativity to the world. I will keep you updated as my schedule becomes available once again.
As of now I am looking forward to working in New York, Nashville, Boston, Michigan, San Diego, and Germany as the 20/21 season picks up again.
American Mezzo Soprano
Emily Fons has made several exciting role and company debuts in recent seasons that have set her apart as a versatile, powerful, and engaging performer. She was hailed by Opera News as one of opera's rising stars and one of the best singing actresses of her generation, and received a Grammy nomination for her work on Jennifer Higdon's Cold Mountain.
REVIEWS
“Emily Fons is one of the best singing actors of her generation.”
“The mezzo’s characterizations have ranged from a sharp-elbowed, drily witty Rosina at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis to an endearingly gawky Cherubino in Santa Fe and a bespectacled, man-hungry Peep-Bo in The Mikado at Lyric Opera of Chicago, where she was a member of that company’s Ryan Center. This past summer, the thirty-two-year-old Wisconsin native created the role of the strong-willed, resourceful Ruby in Santa Fe Opera’s world premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain.”