American mezzo-soprano Tara Venditti has been acclaimed on four continents as a “consummate singing actor” (Frankfurter Rundschau) in a wide-ranging repertoire spanning over four centuries’ worth of music. Recent engagements include Ms. Venditti’s company debuts with Florida Grand Opera in the title-role CARMEN and with Sarasota Opera in her role debut as Isabella L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI. Other recent engagements for Ms. Venditti include both her Théâtre du Châtelet debut in Sondheim’s PASSION, covering Natalie Dessay in the role of Fosca and performing the role of Fosca’s Mother, Aldonza MAN OF LA MANCHA for Portland Opera, Oregon, and Olga EUGENE ONEGIN with Hawaii Opera Theatre. Sought after for her “sultry voiced” (London Evening Standard) interpretation of the titlerole CARMEN, Ms. Venditti has performed the role more than 100 times in productions with Opera Holland Park (London), Staatstheater Mainz, two separate productions at Staatstheater Darmstadt, Theater Bremen, Theater Freiburg, Theater Münster, Kentucky Opera and the Wuhan Philharmonic. Ms. Venditti’s “incandescent” portrayals of this role have been hailed by audiences and critics alike in sold out-performances.

In past seasons, Ms. Venditti has made debuts with Teatro alla Scala as Frasquita (mezzoversion) CARMEN under the baton of Maestro Gustavo Dudamel, rejoining the maestro for a concert version of CARMEN with the Simón Bolívar Orchestra, at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in the title-role of Handel’s TAMERLANO with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under the baton of Maestro Ivor Bolton, with Capella Cracoviensis under the baton of Maestro Alessandro De Marchi in the title role of Handel’s Solomon and at Opéra-Théâtre de Metz as Ophélie in the world premiere of Pierre Thilloy’s LE JOUR DES MEURTRES conducted by George Pehlivanian. Other opera companies with which Ms. Venditti has appeared as a soloist include Opéra National de Lyon, Glimmerglass Opera, Opera Memphis, Opera Birmingham, the Center for Contemporary Opera, American Music Theater Festival, Connecticut Grand Opera and Theater Bielefeld.

As a member of the ensemble at Staatstheater Nürnberg, her roles included Mère Marie DIALOGUES DES CARMÉLITES, Suzuki MADAMA BUTTERFLY, Hänsel HÄNSEL UND GRETEL, Lola CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA, Siebel FAUST, Aldonza MAN OF LA MANCHA, Rosina IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, Maddalena RIGOLETTO, Olga EUGENE ONEGIN, Orfeo ORFEO ED EURIDICE, the title role in DIE GROSSHERZOGIN VON GEROLSTEIN and the roles of Flosshilde and Schwertleite DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN conducted by Philippe Auguin.

A champion of 20th and 21st century repertoire, Ms. Venditti is a first choice among composers and new music organizations, having participated in premieres of numerous new works in New York (including New York City Opera’s CENTRAL PARK TRILOGY), Philadelphia, Green Bay, Memphis, Santa Fe, and most recently Staatstheater Darmstadt’s production of Luigi Nono’s epic work PROMETEO. Ms. Venditti has proven herself a unique interpreter of the music of Kurt Weill. In 2015 she debuted with the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna at the Wiener Konzerthaus with a compelling program of Weill’s “Radio Music”, including his cantata written for radio performance The Ballad of Magna Carta. She also bowed at the Israeli Opera Tel Aviv as Leocadja Begbick in AUFSTIEG UND FALL DER STADT MAHAGONNY conducted by David Stern.

An alumna of the prestigious Oberlin Conservatory (Dean’s Scholar of Voice) B.Mus., Manhattan School of Music (Merit Scholar) M. Mus., Ms. Venditti is currently a University Professor of Voice at Kunst Universität Graz, Austria. She has previously held the position of Associate Instructor of Singing for the University Conservatories of Nürnberg-Augsburg from 2006-2008, has taught voice for the National Theater Workshop for the Handicapped, and Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, and continues to lead masterclasses worldwide for universities and opera companies, while maintaining a successful private teaching studio of internationally working singers.