A lustrous
soprano voice
-SOUTH FLORIDA CLASSICAL REVIEW
Praised for her "lustrous soprano voice", Cuban-born soprano Evelyn Saavedra is quickly establishing herself as a “gifted young singer to watch" (South Florida Classical Review). In the 22-23 season she looks forward to her house and role debut of Mabel in Nashville Opera’s production of Pirates of Penzance. She returns to Alice Tully Hall with Juilliard415, the school's primary period-instrument ensemble, to sing in Purcell’s King Arthur, and will be joining the Juilliard Orchestra to sing the role of Mimì in Act 1 of La Bohème.
In the 21- 22 season she was the Third Prize winner of the Gerda Lissner Foundation International Operetta and Zarzuela Competition, and subsequently made her Carnegie Hall debut singing in the winner's concert. Recent operatic credits include her role and house debut as Musetta in La Bohème with Vero Beach Opera and her return to Pensacola Opera as Rosalba in Florencia en el Amazonas.
A champion of contemporary music, Ms. Saavedra has had the opportunity to collaborate with composers and contemporary music ensembles on several projects. This fall, led by music director Jeffrey Milarsky, she made her Lincoln Center-Alice Tully Hall debut singing George Crumb’s Ancient Voices of Children with the leading ensemble in New York City’s contemporary music scene: AXIOM.
She has created such roles as Mother in Michael Ching’s world premiere of Birthday Clown with Savannah Voice Festival. Additionally, as a member of the Janiec Opera Company at the Brevard Music Center, she created both the role of Featured Dater in the world premiere of Michael Ching’s Speed Dating Tonight, and the female title role of Epiphany Proudfoot in the world premiere of J. Mark Scearce Falling Angel. For her role as Epiphany, the Wall Street Journal wrote of her “alluring soprano who brought sensitivity to Epiphany.”' Moreover, in the 16-17 season she was seen at Pensacola Opera in the role of Sister Catherine in the Florida premiere of Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, where she also covered the role of Kitty Hart, and as Young Alyce in Tom Cipullo’s Glory Denied.
wonderful as
Musetta
-CLASSICAL VOICE OF NORTH CAROLINA
In the 17-18 season, she returned to Pensacola Opera for her second season in the Artist in Residence Program. Here, she performed the roles of Maria in Maria de Buenos Aires, Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Antonia in Man of La Mancha, and Sacerdotessa in Aïda. Other operatic credits include Susanna and Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro, Rose in Street Scene, The Governess in The Turn of the Screw, and the title role in Agrippina, where she was praised for “coloring her vocalism expressively... she dominated every scene, singing with striking dramatic heft and passion”(South Florida Classical Review).
"Tossing off the coloratura flights with zest, Saavedra seemed to understand her character and Baroque musical style, ornamenting repeats artfully."
-SOUTH FLORIDA CLASSICAL REVIEW
As a concert artist, she was recently seen on stage of the Madison Symphony Orchestra collaborating with Principal Organist, Greg Zelek, in a cabaret themed concert for voice and organ. Additionally, Ms. Saavedra has been a featured soloist with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra and The Choral Society of Pensacola singing in Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Handel’s Messiah. Other concert appearances include her feature as the soprano soloist in Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music and Symphony No. 3 with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra.
Ms. Saavedra is currently completing her Artist Diploma in Opera Studies at the Juilliard School. She holds a Master's Degree in Vocal Performance & Literature from the Eastman School of Music where she received the First Prize at the Friends of Eastman Opera Competition in 2015, and a Bachelor's Degree in Vocal Performance from Florida International University.
