“In her company debut, Melissa Citro gave unstintingly of a bright and beautiful voice, singing with the utmost security and power. Her portrayal of the unhappy heroine was fully nuanced, demonstrating a complete understanding of this complex character. The song to the moon was ravishingly sung” – George Dansker – Opera News – Rusalka New Orleans Opera

Melissa Citro
Soprano

Last season Melissa debuted the role of Turandot with Fargo Moorhead Opera and returned to the Metropolitan Opera for Elisabeth (cover) in Wagner’s Tannhauser.  Her other recent engagements include the title role in Tosca with Opera Colorado, the role of Minnie in La Fanciulla del West both with Michigan Opera Theatre and Opera Colorado, the role of Marina in Dvorak’s rarely heard Dmitrij at the Bard Music Festival, Gutrune in San Francisco Opera’s production of Wagner’s Ring, where she also covered Brunnhilde in Siegfried and Sieglinde in Die Walkure,  a return to the Metropolitan Opera for Die Walkure,  and her debut as Tosca at Opera Southwest.

Ms. Citro made her Washington Opera debut as Gutrune, in their production of Wagner’s Gotterdammerung.   She returned to New Orleans Opera as Rosilinde in Die Fledermaus, and made her debut with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in Mahler’s 2nd Symphony. The soprano made her debut with San Francisco Opera as Freia in Das Rheingold. San Francisco Opera also saw Ms. Citro as Gutrune in Götterdämmerung, and as Senta in Der Fliegende Hollander (cover). The soprano made her role debut as Sieglinde in Wagner’s Die Walküre with Virginia Opera, and returned to the Metropolitan Opera, where she covered Renee Fleming in the title role in Dvořák’s Rusalka. She joined the San Francisco Opera and the Metropolitan Opera casts of The Makropulous Case, where she covered Karita Mattila as Emilia, and made her role debut as Senta in Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s production of Der Fliegende Hollander. Ms. Citro performed the role of Rusalka with New Orleans Opera, and the title role of La Wally in her debut with the Dallas Opera. She made her debut with Glimmerglass Opera as Magda Sorel in Menotti’s The Consul, and returned to the Los Angeles Opera to sing the roles of Ortlinde and Third Norn where she also covered the roles of Sieglinde and Guturne in Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen.  The Soprano joined the Hawaii Opera Theatre as Ortlinde in Die Walküre, and debuted with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra in Strauss’ Vier Letzte Lieder with conductor Marc Taddei. Ms. Citro made her Los Angeles Opera debut as the Nursing Sister in Suor Angelica, directed by William Friedkin with James Conlon. In prior engagements in Los Angeles, the soprano covered the roles of Elisabeth in Tannhäuser, Gertrude in Hänsel und Gretel and the title role of Jenůfa. Ms. Citro made her international debut in the title role of Janáček’s Jenůfa in Calixto Bieito’s acclaimed production for the Stuttgart Opera. Earlier engagements include Fiordiligi in Cosi fan Tutte with San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program and Western Opera Theater, and the High Priestess in Rameau’s Hippolytus and Aricia with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. As a Fellowship Artist at Music Academy of the West, her role assignments included the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos and Lady Billows in Britten’s Albert Herring.

Ms. Citro was a Grand Finals Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Additional awards include the George London Award, the Richman Award from Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and the First Place winner of the Mario Lanza Competition.  She was a scholarship winner at the Westminster Choir College and the Juilliard School.