About
In her company debut, Melissa Citro gave unstintingly of a bright and beautiful voice, singing with the utmost security and power. Her portrayal of the unhappy heroine was fully nuanced, demonstrating a complete understanding of this complex character. The song to the moon was ravishingly sung.
Most recent engagements include the role of Minnie in La Fanciulla del West both with Michigan Opera Theatre and Opera Colorado, Marina in Dvorak’s rarely heard Dmitrij at the Bard Festival, and Gutrune in San Francisco Opera’s production of Wagner’s Ring while covering Brunnhilde in Siegfried and Sieglinde in Die Walkure. This season she returns to the Metropolitan Opera for Die Walkure, and debuts the role of Tosca.
Prior to that she made her Washington Opera debut as Gutrune in their new production of Gotterdammerung, her return to New Orleans Opera as Rosilinde in Die Fledermaus, and her debut with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in Mahler’s 2nd Symphony. Prior to that she made her debut with the San Francisco Opera as Freia in Das Rheingold, and Gutrune in Götterdämmerung, and her role debut as Sieglinde in Wagner’s Die Walküre with the Virginia Opera, Senta in Der Fliegende Hollander (cover) with San Francisco Opera, and her return to the Metropolitan Opera where she covered Renee Fleming in the title role in Dvořák’s Rusalka. Prior to that she joined the San Francisco Opera and the Metropolitan Opera casts of The Makropulous Case, where she covered Karita Mattila as Emilia, and made her role debut as Senta in Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s production of Der Fliegende Hollander. In the 2014-15 season she performed the role of Rusalka with New Orleans Opera and the title role of La Wally in her debut with the Dallas Opera. In the summer of 2009 Ms. Citro made her debut with Glimmerglass Opera as Magda Sorel in Menotti’s The Consul. Ms. Citro made her international debut in the title role of Janáček’s Jenůfa in Calixto Bieito’s acclaimed production for the Stuttgart Opera in 2008. During the 2009 – 2010 season, Ms. Citro returned to the Los Angeles Opera to sing the roles of Ortlinde and Third Norn and covered the roles of Sieglinde and Guturne in Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen. She joined the Hawaii Opera Theatre as Ortlinde in Die Walküre, and was heard with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra in Strauss’ Vier Letzte Lieder with conductor Marc Taddei. Ms. Citro made her Los Angeles Opera debut in 2008 as the Nursing Sister in Suor Angelica, directed by William Friedkin with James Conlon. In 2006 and 2007 for the Los Angeles Opera Ms. Citro covered the roles of Elisabeth in Tannhäuser, Gertrude in Hänsel und Gretel and the title role of Jenůfa.
Other past engagements have included Fiordiligi in Cosi fan Tutte with San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program and Western Opera Theater, and the High Priestess in Rameau’s Hippolytus and Aricia with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. While a fellowship artist at Music Academy of the West, her role assignments included the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos and Lady Billows in Britten’s Albert Herring. Ms. Citro was a Grand Finals Winner of the 2001 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Additional awards have included the George London Award, the Richman Award from Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and the first place winner of the Mario Lanza Competition. Ms. Citro was a scholarship winner at the Westminster Choir College and the Juilliard School.