Exciting young soprano
Sarah Asmar has been hailed for "her crystalline soprano" by the
Minneapolis Star-Tribune, while
The Daily Record says, "she is headed for the leading opera houses."
During the 2010-2011 season, Ms. Asmar returns to Sarasota Opera where she will be singing Zerlina in
Don Giovanni and covering both Musetta in
La bohème and Giselda in
I Lombardi. In addition, she returns as soprano soloist in Handel's
Messiah with the New Haven Symphony.
She began the 2009-2010 season as Miss Rose in
Lakmé with Connecticut Concert Opera before appearing with the New Haven Symphony as soprano soloist in Handel's
Messiah. She continued on to join Sarasota Opera's Studio Artist Program where she sang the role of Zweite Dame in
Die Zauberflöte and covered Gretel in
Hansel and Gretel.

In the spring of 2010, Ms. Asmar covered Lucia in Commonwealth Opera's production of
Lucia di Lammermoor.
In the winter of 2009, she was seen as Pamina in
The Magic Flute with Boston Lyric Opera for Young Audiences. On the concert stage, she appeared as the soprano soloist in both J.S. Bach's
St. John Passion with The Cathedral of St. Joseph's Schola Cantorum and Mendelssohn's Symphony #2 (
Lobgesang) with The Farmington Valley Chorale and Orchestra. In July, she joined Opera Providence for their Opera in the Park concert entitled, "Lucky in Love?," and was the winner of Connecticut Concert Opera's inaugural "American Opera Idol" Concert.
During the 2007-2008 season, Ms. Asmar appeared as Emily Webb in the Upper Midwest premiere of Ned Rorem's
Our Town with Skylark Opera, where her portayal "was the emotional heart of the production, conveying the innocence and the strength of the character." (Minneapolis Star-Tribune) She then went on to sing the roles of Pamina and Papagena in
Die Zauberflöte with Opera North.
In past seasons, Ms. Asmar has appeared with Boston Lyric Opera as Crobyle in Massenet's
Thaïs and with Skylark Opera as the soprano soloist in their
Skylarks in the Snow gala. She spent the summers of 2005 through 2007 with the Ohio Light Opera where she was seen as Adele in
Die Fledermaus, Ottilie in
White Horse Inn, Marie Antoinette in the world premiere of Robert Ward's
A Friend of Napoleon, Josephine in
H.M.S. Pinafore, Geraldine in
The Firefly, Jane Bennet in the world premiere of
Pride and Prejudice, Mabel in
The Pirates of Penzance, and Kathie in
The Student Prince. In addition, she can be heard on OLO's recording of
The Firefly.
Next Engagement:
Feb. 12, 15, 17, 20m, 23, 25, March 4, 12m, 18
Zerlina
Don Giovanni
Sarasota OperaThe production is due for release on DVD as well. Ms. Asmar is honored to have collaborated with friend and composer Richard Wargo on From the Bards of Ireland (a program of his Irish inspired music).
Originally from West Simsbury, Connecticut, Ms. Asmar began her musical studies as a violinist. She attended Boston University where she received her Bachelor's Degree in violin performance in 2001. She returned to Boston University to study vocal performance in 2002 (MM 2004). While attending BU, Ms. Asmar performed the role of Norina with the Boston University Opera Institute. Her other solo appearances in Boston include Pergolesi's
Stabat Mater with the Boston Orpheus Ensemble,
The Messiah Part 1 with The Boston University Symphony Orchestra and Mozart's
Requiem with the Newburyport Choral Society. In 2005, she appeared as Coryphée in Opera Boston's production of
Alceste.
Ms. Asmar was a New England Regional Finalist in the 2008 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. In 2006, she was awarded First Prize and the Roger Wertenberger Audience Choice Award in The Harold Haugh Light Opera Vocal Competition.