Maria Whitcomb: A native of New York State’s Catskill Mountain Region, soprano Maria Whitcomb is enjoying the opportunity to grow in Boston’s rich musical community. A friend to local composers, Maria recently created the title role in Bruno C. Faria’s chamber opera Voices Followed: (The Illumination of Joan of Arc), a work which was nominated for the 2021 American Prize in opera composition.

Faria subsequently went on to pen “Sing-Song”, a song cycle featuring texts by Christina Rossetti, in honor of her late father, Benjamin B. Whitcomb III. The premiere recording is available here, and Maria is currently slated to give the recital premiere performance in December 2023.

Other recent concert highlights with local composers have included the premiere of a new arrangement of David Owens’ song cycle “Within a Dream” for soprano and string quartet at the Chelmsford Center for the Arts. She was also elated to participate in the inaugural “Worlds Collide” showcase with The Pandora Consort. Working with saxophonist Ian Buss, and baritone/composer Nathan Halbur, the trio was awarded the evening’s audience prize for their performance of Halbur’s innovative lo-fi arrangement of Debussy’s “Les Cloches”.

In the 2022-2023 season, Maria joyfully made two role debuts in beloved operas by Gian Carlo Menotti. December saw her debut with Music On Site, Inc. singing the title role in their touring production of Amahl and the Night Visitors, and August heralded her New York City area debut as Laetitia in The Old Maid and the Thief with Queens Summer Vocal Institute.

Other opera repertoire includes Paride ed Elena (Paride), Don Giovanni (Zerlina), Così fan tutte (Despina), Die Fledermaus (Adele), Dido and Aeneas (Belinda/2nd Woman), Sweeney Todd (Johanna/Beggar Woman), Into the Woods (Cinderella), Company (Amy) and A Little Night Music (Anne).

Maria is proud to be a roster artist for Lilith Vocal Ensemble and Nightingale Vocal Ensemble, and works as the soprano staff musician at the Congregational Church of Needham. She holds degrees from Syracuse University and the Longy School of Music of Bard College, and spent many summers with Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice. She currently studies with Mark Lee.