Brennan Blankenship, praised as a "thrilling" American soprano "reminiscent of the Golden Age of singers," is an exciting and versatile performer quickly establishing herself in the opera world.

 

Ms. Blankenship’s 2025 season is highlighted by a return to Kentucky to perform Krystyna Zywulska in Jake Heggie/ Gene Scheer’s ANOTHER SUNRISE, a one-woman opera performed with Louisville Ballet in collaboration with Kentucky Opera.  She then makes her debut at Opera Idaho as Annina/ Violetta cover in LA TRAVIATA.  Afterwards, Brennan will star as Myra Foster in the Gulf Coast premiere of Stephen Schwartz’s SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON, and returns to HOPERA in Mozart’s THE PRODUCER (DER SCHAUSPEILDIREKTOR) as Madame Silberklang.

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Ms. Blankenship’s 2023-2024 season included a return to Opera North in a role debut as Julie Jordan/CAROUSEL, her house and role debut as Mabel in Kentucky Opera’s production of  PIRATES OF PENZANCE, and her role debut of Michaëla in Hopera’s inaugural production of CARMEN, a new company of which she is a founder and Executive Director.

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Recently she debuted the role of Violetta with Opera North's production of LA TRAVIATA in the summer of 2022.  In January of 2020, Brennan realized that her voice felt more at home in soprano repertoire, and decided to switch.  She was slated to join Michigan Opera Theater's Young Artist Program for the 2020-22 seasons as a transitioning soprano, but was unfortunately canceled due to COVID. 

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During the summer of 2019 Ms. Blankenship sang the leading role of Brittomara in Jake Heggie/Gene Scheer’s world premiere of IF I WERE YOU as an artist at the Merola Opera Program.

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Other notable roles from her mezzo-soprano years include Cherubino/ LE NOZZE DI FIGARO,  Rosina/IL BARBIERE DISIVIGLIA, Fox/ CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN, Hermia/ A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, Meg Page/ FALSTAFF, Mrs. Noye/NOYE'S FLUDDE  (Britten), and Jo and Meg/LITTLE WOMEN. Oratorio and concert works include Bach's Magnificat, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, and Handel’s Messiah.  

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While opera companies and theaters around the world closed down for COVID,  Brennan was approached by mezzo-soprano Megan Berti about the idea of opening an opera company that would hire Houston-based artists and perform in Houston's favorite hangout spaces - breweries. The idea took off, and Houston's newest opera company, HOPERA, was born in 2024.  Brennan is currently Executive Director of the company.

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A strong proponent of art song, Ms. Blankenship toured the Mid-West performing Mortiz Moszkowski’s song cycle Thraenen with collaborative partner Joseph Welch during the Spring of 2019.

 

Training programs and apprenticeships include the Merola Opera Program, Kentucky Opera's Sanford Studio Artist Program, Canto Vocal Program, Berlin Opera Academy, and Mill City Summer Opera.

 

Competition winnings include being chosen as a finalist in the 2018 and 2019 Dorothy Nocity Vocal Competition hosted by the Palm Springs Opera Guild of the Desert as well as winning First Prize in the 2019 and 2017 Young Texas Artists Music Competition.

 

Ms. Blankenship holds degrees from University of Minnesota and Pepperdine University.

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"Brennan Blankenship was a marvel of a Brittomara. The role asks her to be manly, womanly, seductive, evil, alluring, funny, multi-accented, and overpowering, often within the space of a few bars. Ms. Blankenship delivered all the dramatic goods in spades, from dead panning one liners to nerve shattering domination. And she sings, too! ... [She] has an arresting arsenal of vocal effects at her command.

 

She purred worthy of a topflight chanteuse in a sultry number about a symbolic melting ice cube. She sassed and bossed with meaty mid-range dexterity as she set the inexorable rituals in motion. And then she upped the vocal ante with ever poised, arching vocal lines that were as exuberant as they were stinging. " - James Sohre, Opera Today for "If I Were You" with Merola Opera Program

Full article here

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