Biography
MARI MORIYA – Soprano
Coloratura soprano Mari Moriya made her MET debut as the Queen of the Night in the acclaimed Julie Taymor production of Die Zauberfloete conducted by James Levine, a role she has also performed with Portland Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Palm Beach Opera, and the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
In 2007-08 Ms Moriya made her European debut as Liu in Turandot with Opera Ireland, where she later returned as Zerbinetta in Ariadne Auf Naxos. Additionally she was also a soloist with the Caramoor International Music Festival for Linda di Chamounix and joined the Opera Orchestra of New York as Amina in La Sonnambula. She also travelled to Seoul for concerts with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra singing arias from Rigoletto and Lucia di Lammermoor.
She begins her 2008-09 season with Zauberfloete in Glyndebourne. Other upcoming performances include Zerlina in Don Giovanni with Opera Ireland and Adina in L'Elisir d'Amore with Tulsa Opera. In 2010 she makes her South American debut at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires as Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier.
In past seasons Ms Moriya performed Juliette in Romeo et Juliette in Philadelphia, and was the soprano soloist in an all Handel Gala Concert with Connecticut Grand Opera where she also sang her first Susana in Le Nozze di Figaro. Other performances have included Elizetta in Il matrimonio segreto and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Konstanze in Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail. In addition to the above roles Ms Moriya’s repertoire includes Lucia di Lammermoor, Lakme and Madame Mao in Nixon in China.
Ms Moriya has won several singing competitions including National finalist of Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the first prize of Cla Muze Vocal competition, second prize in the 11th National Classical Music competition, First Prize of the Veronica Dunn International Vocal competition in Dublin and the Charles A. Lynman Vocal Competition. and was selected to represent Japan at the 2007 Cardiff Singer of the World Competition where she won the Concert Prize.
Ms. Moriya earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from The Musashino Academy of Music in her native Japan, and attended Mannes College of Music in the Professional Study Diploma program.
June 2008