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The Amewrican mezzo-soprano, Faith Sherman, obtained her Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music (1999-2003|), her Master of Music degree from Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (2003-2005), and her AD degree from the Juilliard School, Juilliard Opera Center (2005-2007). She has also participated at Young Artist Programs: Music Academy of the West (Summers 2002, 2003), San Francisco Opera Center’s Merola Program (Summer 2005), Wolf Trap Opera Company (Summers 2006, 2007), and Houston Grand Opera Studio (2007–present). Among her teachers were Rita Shane (The Eastman School of Music, 1999-2003), William McGraw (Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, 2003-2005), Steven Smith (The Juilliard School, 2005-2007), and Stephen King (Houston Grand Opera Studio (2007-present). Sherman won scholarships of Dayton Opera Scholarship Competition (2002-2003) and Norman Treigle Memorial Award, CCM Opera Scholarship Competition (2002-2003) and Recipient of Wolf Trap Opera Shouse Educational Grant (2006). She was the winner of the Houston Grand Opera Eleanor McCollum Competition in 2007 and the New England Regional Metropolitan Opera Auditions. She was also a semi-finalist in the 2007 Metropolitan Opera National Auditions, and the 2011 Neue Stimmen International Singing Competition.
Acclaimed by the New York Times as a “luminous mezzo-soprano,” and praised by Opera News for her “rich mezzo,” Faith Sherman has enjoyed successes on both the operatic and concert stages.
Past performances include Johannes Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody with the Cincinnati Conservatory Orchestra (April 2004), Mrs. Allan in Argento’s The Voyage of Edgar Allan Poe (May 2005), and Mother/Witch in Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel (May 2004). Faith Sherman was also a member of San Francisco Opera’s prestigious Merola Program where she sang the title role in scenes from Rossini’s La Cenerentola (July 2005). While earning her Artist Diploma at the Juilliard School, Faith Sherman was heard in Mozart’s Requiem for the 9/11 Memorial Concert at Carnegie Hall, as well as performances in “Songs of Peace and War” and “100 years of Juilliard Composers in Song” with the New York Festival of Song. Her appearances with the Juilliard Opera Center include Clytemnestre in Gluck’s Iphigénie en Aulide (February 2007), Ramiro in Mozart’s La finta giardiniera, (April 2007), Fay Doyle in the world premiere of Lowell Liebermann’s Miss Lonelyhearts (April 2006), and Hermia in Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night's Dream (November 2005).
In the summer of 2006, Faith Sherman debuted with the Wolf Trap Opera Company as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro (August 2006). She also performed as an improvisational artist in Wolf Trap’s Instant Opera! and collaborated with Steven Blier in a Spanish song recital. In 2007, she returned to Wolf Trap Opera Company to sing Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte (August 2007) and Erminella in Volpone by John Musto (June 2007). The live recording of Volpone was recently nominated for a Grammy Award in the “Best Opera Recording” category. Sherman has covered Frederica von Stade as Madeleine in Jake Heggie’s Last Acts at Houston Grand Opera (Decmber 2008). She was also showcased in HGO Studio’s scenes as Charlotte in Werther (December 2007), Beatrice in Beatrice et Benedict (November 2008), and Wellgunde in Das Rheingold (December 2007). Sherman sang recitals at Rienzi and the Taste This! series in Houston, and was also presented in recital at the San Antonio Museum of Art (December 2007). In July 2008, she sang Dorabella in Chautauqua Opera’s production of Così fan tutte.
In the 2008-2009 season at Houston Grand Opera, Faith Sherman was seen in performances as Beatrice in Berlioz’ Beatrice and Benedict, a role she shared with Joyce DiDonato, to great acclaim. In addition, Sherman covered Hermia in B. Britten’s A Midsummer Nights Dream, and sang performances of the Countess Ceprano in Verdi’s Rigoletto (April 2009) and Mrs. Rowlandson in the world premiere of André Previn’s Brief Encounter (May 2009). As a Studio member, she was featured in scenes as Sesto in La clemenza di Tito (December 2008), Mercèdes in Carmen (December 2008), and Sister Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking (December 2008). She also was heard as mezzo-soprano soloist in Houston Grand Opera's The Refuge by Christopher Theofanidis, which was recently released on recording by Albany Records.
In 2009-2010 season, Faith Sherman covered Frederica von Stade as Madeleine in Jake Heggie's Last Acts at Houston Grand Opera. She was also showcased in HGO Studio's scenes as Charlotte in Werther, Béatrice in Béatrice et Bénédict, and Wellgunde in Das Rheingold. She sang recitals at Rienzi and the Taste This! series in Houston and was also presented in recital at the San Antonio Museum of Art. In the summer of 2008, she sang Dorabella in Chautauqua Opera's production of Così fan tutte.
Faith Sherman recently made “a sensational European debut” (Financial Times) at the English National Opera in Kaijia Saariaho's L'Amour de loin as the Pilgrim to rave reviews from the international press. In 2010-2011 season, she made her German operatic debut as Concepcion in L’heure espagnole at Oper Frankfurt (January 2011) and premiered the mezzo-soprano lead role in Ricky Ian Gordon’s Rappahannock County at Virginia Opera. In addition, she covered the role of the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos at Houston Grand Opera. Sherman sang Verdi’s Messa da requiem with period instruments at the Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele and at the Opéra de Vichy under Michael Hofstetter, and was recently presented in recital for The Arts at St. Matthew’s, a ministry of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Wilton, Connecticut and with The Artist Series of Sarasota in Sarasota, Florida.
Recently, Faith Sherman enjoyed standing ovations for her performances of La captive, orientale, Op. 12 (The Captive) by Berlioz, and Leonard Bernstein's First Symphony, Jeremiah with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. In addition to appearing in concert with the Aperio Chamber Music Society, she was seen in Bolcom’s Lucrezia and Musto’s Bastianello at Wolf Trap Opera as part of their concert series, as well as covering Frederica von Stade in Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers at Chicago Opera Theater. In the future, she will be seen at Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, and the English National Opera. |
