Suzanne Lommler

Mezzo-soprano Suzanne Lommler is consistently praised for her dramatically committed performances and solid vocal technique. As Silvia (Haydn’s L’isola Disabitata), she displayed “beautiful voice…clear projection…and a warm, focused tone that was equal to the role’s wide vocal compass.” Her performances in Chicago with Haymarket Opera have garnered great critical acclaim. The Chicago Tribune also wrote of her “dark and alluring” voice in the role of the sorceress Melissa (Handel’s Amadigi): “Lommler’s assured technique allowed her to turn on a dime from fury to pathos and back again. Her sorceress all but burned up the stage.”

She has enjoyed making debuts in other title roles, such as Carmen for Opera Kelowna (British Columbia); Xerxes for Haymarket Opera (Chicago); and Dorabella and Cherubino (among others) for the Hamburger Kammeroper (Germany). She sang Melide in Cavalli’s Ormindo for Pittsburgh Opera. Her New York City debut was as Annio in La Clemenza di Tito, conducted by Julius Rudel.

Equally at home on the concert stage, she has performed in recital with twice-Grammy- nominated harpsichordist Jory Vinikour at Great Lakes Baroque Festival (Milwaukee); the Flying Forms Trio at Grinnell College (Iowa); and Mobile Opera’s Winter Gala (Alabama). She has been a soloist with the Lyra Baroque Orchestra (St. Paul, MN); The Grinnell Singers and Orchestra (Mozart’s Mass in C minor); Orchestra Iowa (Bach’s Mass in B minor; Bach’s St. John Passion – broadcast on Iowa Public Radio); the Central Iowa Symphony (Mahler’s Rückertlieder); the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra (Bach’s Magnificat). She also sang Carmen in the woodcut motion picture Kharmen by Jay Bolotin.

Lommler has performed in recital at the Handel House Museum (London); the University of British Columbia’s Minds and Music concert series; in Hamburg’s Opernsalon series (Germany); with the Edinburgh Quartet (Scotland), Kansas City Symphony, Cincinnati May Festival, Bloomington Early Music Festival, Spoleto Festival (Italy), Cincinnati Opera, Portland Opera Repertory Theatre (Maine), Florida Grand Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Garsington Opera (England), the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Glyndebourne on Tour, the Ravinia Festival’s Steans Institute (Highland Park/Chicago), and the Tanglewood Institute (Massachusetts). She earned the Master of Music degree in performance from the Manhattan School of Music and the Bachelor of Music degree in performance from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

In addition to performing, Suzanne enjoys teaching. She was on the faculty of Grinnell College for many years but recently relocated to Tallahassee, where she teaches voice at Florida State University.