Ashley Emerson

With her sparkling voice and stage presence, soprano Ashley Emerson has been described as a “vocal and dramatic delight” (St. Louis Post Dispatch). In the 2022-2023 season, Ms. Emerson reprised the role of Papagena in a new production of Die Zauberflöte at the Metropolitan Opera, sang Shostakovich’s Opus 38 with the Brooklyn Art Song Society, joined the New Jersey Festival Orchestra as Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, and she made her role debut as Despina in Così fan tutte with Cedar Rapids Opera. In the upcoming 2023-2024 season, she will sing Gretel in Hansel and Gretel with Kentucky Opera and perform Papagena in Die Zauberflöte with the Cleveland Orchestra, led by esteemed conductor Franz Welser-Möst. A passionate recitalist, she also returns to the Brooklyn Art Song Society this season.

In the 2021-2022 season, Ms. Emerson returned to The Metropolitan Opera as Papagena in The Magic Flute and for their productions of Cinderella and Boris Godunov. Additional engagements during this season included singing Johanna Barker in Sweeney Todd with Opera Omaha and appearing as Rapunzel in Into the Woods at HALO. During the 2020-2021 season, Ms. Emerson curated and starred in a web series for Kentucky Opera titled “Hoops and High Notes” and performed a recital of Beethoven and Schumann entitled “Wife, Children, and Friends” for the Truman Lyceum Series.  Engagements postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic include the world premiere of Omar at Spoleto Festival USA, a debut with Kentucky Opera as Gretel in Hansel and Gretel and Papagena in a new production of Die Zauberflöte at The Metropolitan Opera conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. 

In the shortened 2019-2020 season, Ms. Emerson returned to The Metropolitan Opera for her acclaimed portrayal of Papagena in The Magic Flute and made two company debuts in familiar roles: Blondchen in Die Entführung aus dem Serail with Opera Omaha and Flora in The Turn of the Screw with On Site Opera. In concert, she sang her first Handel’s Messiah (Part 1) with the New Choral Society. During the 2018-2019 season, Ms. Emerson performed the role of Laura Fleet in the North American premiere of Nico Muhly’s Marnie, which was broadcast Live in HD to movie theaters worldwide, as well as Brigitta in Iolanta, and Papagena in The Magic Flute—all with The Metropolitan Opera. Her 2017-2018 season included Met performances as Giannetta in L’elisir d’amore (Live in HD Broadcast), Papagena in Die Zauberflöte (Live in HD Broadcast), and Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro. In the 2016-2017 season, Ms. Emerson was heard as Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel with the Seattle Opera, made her professional European debut as Cunegonde in Candide with Opéra National de Bordeaux and the Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse, and debuted at The Dallas Opera as Flora in The Turn of the Screw. 

Other recent performances include Sister Constance in Dialogues of the Carmelites at both Washington National Opera and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Tebaldo in Don Carlo in a new production for Opera Philadelphia, and Blondchen in Die Entführung aus dem Serail with Des Moines Metro Opera. She has also appeared in major roles with Atlanta Opera, Central City Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Opera Maine, Greensboro Opera, and The Tanglewood Festival. In recent seasons on the concert stage, Ms. Emerson has curated a recital of love songs based on the works of Robert and Clara Schumann, which she performed at The Crosby Center in Belfast, Maine, and will present this recital in future seasons.  Ms. Emerson also toured Russia with The Turne Agency in concerts celebrating the centennial of Leonard Bernstein’s birth with numerous orchestras and appeared in chamber music concerts at The Twickenham Festival.

Ms. Emerson has been honored with awards from The Sullivan Foundation, The Gerda Lissner Competition, The Palm Beach Opera Competition, and Opera Theatre of St. Louis. She is a graduate of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at The Metropolitan Opera and subsequently has appeared in over 200 Metropolitan Opera performances.  Ms. Emerson further trained at esteemed institutions, including the Marlboro Music Festival, the Verbier Festival, and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as a Gerdine Young Artist. Ms. Emerson is a University of Southern Maine School of Music graduate.