Album Notes

Lisa Houston, Mezzo-Soprano
Biography


Lisa Houston has performed leading roles with Opera companies throughout California, including Pacific Repertory Opera, Capitol Opera Sacramento, Cinnabar Opera Theatre, Bay Area Summer Opera Theatre, Solo Opera Walnut Creek, the San Francisco Camerata, The San Francisco Lyric Opera and Townsend Opera. Her operatic roles include Carmen, Nicklausse in "Les Contes d'Hoffman," Rosina in "Il Barbiere di Siviglia," Maddalena in "Rigoletto," Cherubino in "the Marriage of Figaro," and Augusta Tabor in "the Ballad of Baby Doe." She created the title role of "Corpus Evita" in the world premier opera by Carlos Franzetti. Reviewers of her singing have said: "Beautiful voice." "Houston showed her musical mettle continually." "Houston's knack for comic nuance often borders on the sublime." "A wonderful performance by Lisa Houston."
As an actress, Lisa performed in New York and throughout Europe in director Robert Wilson's Obie award winning production of Hamletmachine as well as his production of "Salome" at Milan's Teatro alla Scala. She holds a bachelor's degree in Acting from New York University where she studied method acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and with W.H. Macy. She also holds a Master's degree of Music in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music. In addition to Opera, she performs frequently as a soloist in oratorio, recital and musical theatre. Recent musical theatre engagements in the bay area include playing Lady Hyacinth Harrogate in 42nd St. Moon's production of the Cabaret Girl in San Francisco and Domina in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at the Dean Lesher Center in Walnut Creek. Lisa is a recipient of the Bay Area Performing Arts Fellowship and is a native of Berkeley.