Erin Nafziger
Erin Nafziger, Artist Associate in Voice at Williams College, was most recently seen as the soprano soloist in J.S. Bach’s Magnificat at St. Paul’s Church in Albany, NY. She has also recently performed with The New Opera company as Belinda in Dido and Aeneas; a role in which she “acquitted herself admirably...” and “her voice was consistent, well-balanced, and beautiful...” (Michael Miller, The Berkshire Review for the Arts). She received First Prize in the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen Vocal Concerto Competition with her performance of “L’Absence” from Berlioz’s Les Nuits d’ete, and in May of 2009 she sang Fiordiligi in Act I of Cosi fan tutte with Williams Opera. Other roles include Mimi in La Boheme, Pamina in The Magic Flute, Soeur Constance in Dialogues of the Carmelites, Adele in Die Fledermaus, and Jenny in Company. She was the soprano soloist in G.F. Handel’s Messiah at Our Lady of the Snows Church in Woodstock, Vermont in 2008. Past awards have included the Francesco and Hilda Riggio Award in the New England Regional Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and Third Place in the Bel Canto Foundation Competition. Her scenes include Melisande in Pelleas et Melisande, Semele in Semele, Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier, Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Gilda in Rigoletto, and many others. She was the soprano soloist in John Adams’ Grand Pianola Music, Gabriel Faure’s Requiem, Ralph Vaughn Williams’ Hodie, and Robert Schumann’s Frauenliebe und Leben. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from DePaul University, and a Master’s Degree from Northwestern University in Vocal Performance. She has been an Artist Associate in Voice at Williams College since 2006.
