Praised by Opera News as a “silvery-luminescent mezzo-soprano of power and poise,” Sofia Selowsky continues to establish herself as an exciting artist on both the operatic and concert stage. In the 21/22 season, she performs at Alice Tully Hall for a concert of new works by Georgia Shreve, and returns to the MetropolitanOpera, covering the roles of Second Priestess in Iphegénie en Tauride (canceled due to COVID), Dorothée in Cendrillon, and Maketaten in Akhnaten. She subsequently makes her role debut as Angelina inLa Cenerentola with Annapolis Opera.
Sofia joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera for her 19/20 season, covering the roles of Javotte in Manon and Maketaten in Akhnaten, debuted with the Milwaukee Symphony for Handel’s Messiah, and with the Atlanta Symphony under the baton of Robert Spano for Bach’sCantata No. 29 and Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music. In the summer of 2020, she was slated to return to Opera Theatre of Saint Louisas Iris. L in the world premiere of Tobias Picker’s Awakenings (cancelled due to COVID).
Sofia’s 18/19 season began in recital with Bethany Self under the auspices of the Metropolitan Opera National Council and saw a return to Ars Lyrica Houston as the title role in Handel’s Agrippina. She made her orchestral debuts in Handel’s Messiah with the Kansas City Symphony and in Mozart’s Requiem with the Charlotte Symphony. Sofia also made her role debuts in concert as Donna Elvira inDon Giovanni with the Jacksonville Symphony and as Dorabella in Così fan tutte with the Rochester Philharmonic.
In prior seasons, notable debuts include Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Houston Grand Opera, for whichSofia was praised by Opera News for her “honey-rich sound,” “silvery top end,” and “amazingly clear passage work,” Mercédes in Carmen with the Atlanta Opera, and the Stewardess in Jonathan Dove’s Flight with Des Moines Metro Opera. Sofia has appeared with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as Frau Grubach in the American Premiere of Philip Glass’The Trialand Mère Jeanne in Dialogues of the Carmelites. Other repertoire includes William Bolcom’s A Wedding, Despina in Così fan tutte under the baton of Jane Glover, and Lazuli in Chabrier’s L’étoile. Equally at home on the concert stage, she has performed Dominick Argento’s Casa Guidi(Lexington Philharmonic), Storgé in Handel’s Jephtha(Ars Lyrica Houston), Handel’s Messiah(MinnesotaOrchestra), Mozart’s Requiem(Sarasota Orchestra and North Carolina Symphony), and the mezzo soloist in Falla’s The Three-Cornered Hatand Schumann’s The Pilgrimage of the Rose, both with the Houston Symphony.
A graduate of the famed Houston Grand Opera Studio, Sofia was heard in a wide variety of roles during her time as a Studio Artist, including Suzuki in Madama Butterfly opposite Ana Maria Martinez, the Fox in Rachel Portman’s The Little Prince, the Second Wood Nymph in Rusalka, Nell Gwynn in the world premiere of Carlisle Floyd’s new opera, Prince of Players, and Eliza in the premiere of David Hanlon’s After the Storm.
Sofia was a 2016 grant recipient from the Gerda Lissner Foundation and a 2015 recipient of a Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshanna Foundation. In 2014, she was a National Semifinalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and won Third Place in the Houston Grand Opera’s prestigious Eleanor McCollum Competition. Other honors include the Italo Tajo Memorial Award (CCM Opera ScholarshipCompetition), an Emerging Talent Award from the Kurt Weill Foundation’s Lotte Lenya Competition, the Emile Dieterle Scholarship (CCM), and an Artist Development Fellowship from Harvard University.
