(Credit: Teatro dell’Opera di Roma/Teatro alla Scala/Paris Opera)

Over the past years, many coloratura and lyric sopranos have risen to fame and created unforgettable portrayals of the repertoire. But few have left as big an impact as Lisette Oropesa.

The American soprano has been hailed for her interpretative depth and her incredible acting. She has become a mainstay at such theaters as the Bayerische Staatsoper, the Wiener Staatsoper, the Teatro alla Scala, and Teatro Real, among many other important theaters. Her repertoire is dynamic and she dominates every style, be it the French works of Gounod and Massenet, or the Italian operas of Bellini, Rossini, Donizetti, and Verdi. She is also a great baroque interpreter and has made art song and Zarzuela part of her ever-expanding repertoire.

To celebrate Lisette Oropesa’s birthday, here are four unforgettable HD recordings that must be watched.

Hamlet – Paris Opera – 2023

When the Paris Opera produced a new production of Thomas’ rarely performed work, the company brought an all-star cast led by Oropesa. She had performed the role with the Washington Concert Opera and at the Opéra de Lausanne, but Paris would be her biggest venue for the role to date and she was joined by Ludovic Tézier, Jean Teitgen, Julien Behr, Clive Bayley, and Eve-Maud Hubeaux.

Of her turn as Ophélie, OperaWire noted, “Her velvety dark timbre suited a score which is mostly written in the middle of the voice, and her depurated technique enabled her to sing the octave interval from central to high B flat with sweetness and delicacy in the Act two aria “Adieu dit-il,ayez foi.”

With a stellar cast and raves, Paris produced a video recording with ARTE co-producing.

Lucia di Lammermoor – Teatro Alla Scala – 2023

Lucia is arguably the role that put Oropesa on the map following an unforgettable Teatro Real production in 2018. So when La Scala said it would be bringing Oropesa for the famed role, eyes were on the soprano’s interpretation and how it had developed. To top it off, she was joined by Juan Diego Flórez. Boris Pinkhasovich and Michele Pertusi rounded out the cast with Riccardo Chailly conducting a production by Yánnis Kókkos. Additionally, the production employed a critical edition that added new music and took away the famed cadenza. 

The results were phenomenal with critics stating, “Lisette Oropesa gave a poignant, overwhelming interpretation of Lucia. Her detailed acting supported a soprano which seems created to sing bel canto: confident coloratura, silvery high notes, beautiful pianissimi, perfect trills.”

Rai produced the production for Television and was later distributed by Medici.tv which you watch here.

I Masnadieri – Teatro alla Scala – 2019

Verdi’s early work continues to be a rarity with audiences and one that few singers perform. Oropesa has been one of those rare champions of the work. She has performed it at the Savonnlina Festival and the Bayerische Staatsoper and of course at the Teatro alla Scala where it was revived in 2019. It also marked the soprano’s La Scala debut and she led a cast that included Fabio Sartori, Michele Pertusi, and Massimo Cavalletti.  David McVicar directed the production which Michele Mariotti conducted. 

Rai captured the production which critics raved about and said, “Oropesa demonstrated a magnificent silvery voice, beautiful vibrato and impeccable coloratura.”

La Sonnambula -Teatro dell’Opera di Roma -2024

In 2024, Oropesa made her role debut as Amina in “La Sonnambula.” It was a dream role for the soprano so when Rome opened a new production, Oropesa was up for the task. She was joined by a cast that included John Osborn in the role of Elvino and Roberto Tagliavini as Rodolfo. Francesco Lanzillotta conducted a new audacious production by Jean-Philippe Clarac and Olivier Deloeuil.

While Oropesa didn’t finish the run of the opera due to allergies, OperaVision, in collaboration with the Rome Opera, were able to capture the opening night performance which showed Oropesa at her full power.

Here is a clip of her opening aria: