Stacey Mastrian, a “sweet, shimmering soprano” (The Washington Post), who is “versatile and passionate” (Der Tagesspiegel) discovered her love of music at a very early age.  Today she is praised by critics, musicians, and non-musicians alike for her unique combination of beautiful singing, expressive musicality, and ability to communicate with an audience.  The Berliner Zeitung hailed her recent performances of Luigi Nono’s Canti di vita e d’amore: sul ponte di Hiroshima at the Konzerthaus in Berlin, under the baton of Lothar Zagrosek, as “very impressive,” and Neues Deutschland cited the captivating nature of her “effortless mastery” and “ravishingly tender and flowing soprano voice.”  She is equally lauded for more traditional repertoire, such as the role of Gilda in Rigoletto with the Summer Opera Theatre Company, described in The Washington Times as an “exquisitely etched performance, unveiling delicate, silvery tones and pinpoint accuracy.”  This emerging talent has already sung eight dozen recitals and will make her debut in Montreal this October at the Chapelle Historique du Bon Pasteur, as the First Laureate 2008, Young Sponsored Lyric Artist of the Joseph Traxel Society. She is continually sought after by composers for collaborations, including numerous premieres and several upcoming recordings.  Ms. Mastrian’s performances of repertoire from Baroque to contemporary have been broadcast internationally via television, radio, and the internet.

Recent collaborations include work with the Experimentalstudio from Freiburg, under the direction of André Richard, at the Fondazione Cini in Venice, as well as performances with Opera Lafayette at Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, in New York and Strathmore Hall near Washington, D.C.  Ms. Mastrian has also sung with the Konzerthaus Orchestra in Berlin, the Nova Amadeus orchestra in Rome, at the Pisani Palace in Venice, at St. Peter’s in Vatican City, at the Maxim Gorki Theater in Berlin, and from coast to coast throughout the U.S.  Additionally, she has worked with the Blacksburg Chorale Orchestra, Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra, University of Maryland Repertory Orchestra, Catholic University Orchestra, and members of numerous other orchestras.  Her concert repertoire spans the eras of J.S. Bach through W.A. Mozart to Bruno Maderna and Arvo Pärt, and her operatic roles range from Amor/Damigella in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea to Sidonie, Bergère, and Lucinde in Gluck's Armide, Sister Genevieve in Puccini’s Suor Angelica, and new works.  Other roles include Adele in Die Fledermaus, Patience in Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience, and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance.

Ms. Mastrian has won competitive awards from Bach to art song to opera.  They have come from organizations such as The American Bach Society/Bethlehem Bach Choir, the Max Kade Foundation, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the Maryland Opera Society, Mu Phi Epsilon (Graduate Scholarship Winner), the National Italian American Foundation (Pavarotti Scholarship), the Rosa Ponselle Foundation (Silver Medallion and Silver Rose), and the University of Maryland (Ulrich Competition First Prize Winner).  As a 2003-2004 Winner of the Vocal Arts Society's Discovery Series Competition, she performed recitals in many prominent venues in the Washington, D.C. metro area over the span of more than a year.  Ms. Mastrian has also been named the recipient of a prestigious Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshana Foundation (2005).  She is currently a Semi-Finalist in the Intermezzo Foundation 2008 Elardo International Vocal Competition and the 2008 Lois Alba Aria Competition in Houston, and she has been a Semi-Finalist in the 2007 Friday Morning Music Club Washington International Competition, 2006 Jenny Lind Competition, and 2005 Irma M. Cooper Opera Columbus International Vocal Competition. She is currently a Finalist for the 2008 Career Bridges Grant Awards, and she has been a Finalist in the 2005 Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition and the Maryland Opera Society Marie Crump Competition.  This year she was selected as a scholarship recipient to the 2007 SongFest Professional Program in Malibu, CA and has been awarded a Development Grant from the Peabody Conservatory as well as a grant from the Forberg-Schneider-Stiftung.

Ms. Mastrian received a B.M., summa cum laude, in vocal performance from The Catholic University of America, where she received a full tuition scholarship and studied with Elizabeth Daniels.  She earned an M.M. in opera performance and a D.M.A. in voice performance from the University of Maryland, where she was a scholarship and fellowship recipient, studying voice with Martha Randall and working as a member of the Maryland Opera Studio, directed by Leon Major.  She has done intensive language study at numerous institutions, including Middlebury College.  From 2002-2003 a Fulbright Grant and a Fellowship from the Frank Huntington Beebe Foundation enabled her to live in Italy; this experience contributed significantly to her specialization in Italian vocal music of the 20^th century.  Ms. Mastrian’s intention is to continue her performances in this area and with contemporary music from other countries, as well as with more traditional works, performing actively on concert and opera stages worldwide.  Her hope is to broaden audiences’ knowledge of lesser-known repertoire, to draw in new audience members for classical music, and to entertain existing patrons for years to come.