A native of Connecticut, American Lyric Soprano Emily Martin’s career has already included numerous appearances in both Europe and America. Upcoming engagements include Strauss Vier letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs) with the University Symphony Orchestra at the University of Colorado Boulder and Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) with the Larimer (CO) Chorale. Last seasons performances include an appearance with Dave Grusin in his Faure Pavane, soprano soloist in Mozart Requiem with the Greeley Philharmonic, the title role in Carlisle Floyd's Susannah and the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Fox Islands Concert Series. In recent seasons, appearances include Donna Donna in PDQ Bach's The Abduction of Figaro, soprano soloist in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony as well Violetta in La Traviata, Mimi in La Boheme and her first Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan tutte with Chautauqua Opera. Emily has performed Charmeuse in Thaïs with Palm Beach Opera, Musetta in La Boheme with Opera Birmingham and the Countess in Midnight Angel (David Carlson) with the Skylight Opera Theatre. Emily has also sung Casilda in The Gondoliers at Chautauqua Opera and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro with the Chattanooga Opera and Symphony.

In previous seasons, Emily has sung the 2nd Niece in Peter Grimes with The Santa Fe Opera, Liu in Turandot with Nevada Opera, soprano soloist in both the Messiah at Avery Fisher Hall and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony. Other performances include Lucy in Menotti’s The Telephone for the Recital Series of Sarasota and an appearance as the featured soloist for an ‘All-Gershwin’ program with the Syracuse Symphony.

With Opera Grand Rapids, Emily has sung Curley’s Wife in Of Mice and Men, Micaela in Carmen and with the Skylight Opera Theatre, the roles of Water in The Little Prince, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni and the title role in Titus’ Rosina. She has performed Violetta in La Traviata with Amarillo Opera, Gretel in Hansel and Gretel with Chautauqua Opera, and appeared in the Viva 35! – A 35th Anniversary Concert with Opera Grand Rapids. Other roles in her repertoire include Zan in Regina, Valencienne in The Merry Widow, Adele in Die Fledermaus and Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi .

Her recent concert appearances have included the Messiah at Carnegie Hall, Bach’s Mass in b minor with the Syracuse Symphony, Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus and Rutter’s Requiem with the Connecticut Master Chorale. Other concert appearances include the Messiah with the Hartford Symphony and several evenings of operatic arias with the Charlotte Symphony. Ms. Martin has also been a soloist at the Anchorage Festival of Music singing Brahms’ Requiem, Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 and Copland’s As It Fell Upon A Day.

Emily is currently pursuing her interest in Directing. Last season, she served as Assistant Director to Grischa Asagaroff in Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's La Cenerentola at Opera Colorado and will return this upcoming season as Assistant Director to Jose Maria Condemi for Daniel Catan's Florencia en el Amazonas. Emily has also been chosen recently to write, produce and direct a new opera in the Fall of 2012 with composer Leanna Kirchoff at the ATLAS Black Box Theater at the ATLAS Center for Arts, Media and Performance in Boulder, Colorado.

While assisting Dr. Leigh Holman in multiple productions at the University of Colorado, Emily has also directed numerous opera scenes as part of the CU Opera Scenes Project and is involved in educating young singers in the techniques of stagecraft including designing and teaching a class in role preparation. She has served on the directing staff of Central City Opera/CU Collaboration tour and the CU NOW program (University of Colorado New Opera Works). Emily will serve as the Interim Director of Opera at the University of Colorado for part of the 2012 spring semester, which will include directing a new opera conceived by Patrick Mason.

Emily has also completed two teaching certifications in yoga. Please feel free to check out her yoga website, www.fitsinger.com

Emily holds a B.A. in Vocal Performance from Boston University, graduating cum laude, and has also completed her studies at The Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia where she received a performance certificate, with the equivalency of an M.A. She is currently a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Colorado Boulder with an anticipated graduation in December 2012.

Emily was an apprentice for two seasons with both The Santa Fe Opera and Chautauqua Opera, as well as winner of the Concerto Competition at the University of Colorado, Opera Longview International Singer, Opera Index and Mario Lanza competitions. Additionally, she was awarded development and outstanding artist awards from Chautauqua Opera and the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. As a finalist in the Llangollen International Singer Eisteddfod competition, she appeared with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic conducted by Yves Abel in a concert telecast live on Welsh National Television.

Emily currently lives with her husband, daughter and two Japanese Chins in Denver, Colorado.