Mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong, has been praised in both North America and Europe for her “well-cultivated” and “big, bright and pleasing” voice. She studied at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Curtis Institute of Music, and is a graduate of the prestigious Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Her awards and prizes include First Prize by the American Opera Society of Chicago and has also received the Union League Competition’s Rose Ann Grundman Award (2006), the Musicians Club of Women’s Edith Newfield Scholarship (2006), the Sullivan Foundation Award (2006), and the 2007 Musicians Club of Women’s Lynne Harvey Scholarship. In 2001, she was Grand Prize Winner of the Tennessee-based Orpheus National Music Competition. She also holds awards from the Dayton Opera Guild, National Association of Teachers of Singing, and Opera Columbus.
Although still young, DeShong has already appeared with The Metropolitan Opera, English National Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera and at the Glyndebourne Festival. Highlights of last season include Beethoven Symphony No. 9 with the New Jersey Symphony and new music director Jacques Lacombe and returned to Lyric Opera of Chicago as Hermia A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She made her company debut with English National Opera as Maffio Orsini Lucrezia Borgia to critical acclaim, sang Kitchen Boy Rusalka for Glyndebourne, and sang the title role La Cenerentola for Canadian Opera Company.
DeShong’s previous engagements include Page Salome for San Francisco Opera; her Washington National Opera debut as Composer Ariadne auf Naxos; Rosina Il barbiere di Siviglia for her Arizona Opera debut; Suzuki Madama Butterfly in Santa Fe; Hänsel Hänsel und Gretel for Glyndebourne on Tour; Hermia A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Canadian Opera Company; Rosina The Barber of Seville (student matinees) at Lyric Opera of Chicago; and Ruggiero Alcina and Composer Ariadne auf Naxos at Wolf Trap Opera. Other roles include Meg Page Falstaff (Lyric Opera of Chicago and Opera Company of Philadelphia); Page Salome and Mercédès Carmen (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Marilyn Klinghoffer The Death of Klinghoffer (Perelman Theater in Philadelphia); La Rondine and Rusalka (Metropolitan Opera) and leading roles in operas of Purcell, Strauss, and Britten.
DeShong’s concert engagements include Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with John Nelson and Chamber Orchestra of Europe in Lisbon, which was filmed for DVD release; Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with the Pittsburgh Symphony under Manfred Honeck; Les Noces with the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center; Manuel de Falla’s El amore brujo at the Ravinia Festival with the Chicago Youth Symphony; concert performances of Parsifal conducted by Pierre Boulez; Debussy’s La damoiselle élue; and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (Blossom Music Festival).
Engagements in the 2011/12 season include Maffio Orsini Lucrezia Borgia for San Francisco Opera and a return to the Metropolitan Opera to sing Hermia in the world premiere of The Enchanted Island. She also sings Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with Seiji Ozawa in Japan. In summer 2012 DeShong sings the title role La Cenerentola for the Glyndebourne Festival.
Elizabeth DeShong is represented by Intermusica in Europe.
April 2011 / 595 words. Not to be altered without permission. Please destroy all previous biographical material.
Hermina / The Enchanted Island / Metropolitan Opera
Cond. William Christie/ Dir. Jeremy Sams
“The four honeymooners are all terrific as well, especially mezzo Elizabeth DeShong as Hermia.”
Mike Silverman,Yahoo News, January 2011
“DeShong delivers an incredibly deep and full lower range in addition to nuanced tones.”
Susan Hall, Berkshire Fine Arts, December 2011
“Elizabeth DeShong made Hermia strikingly plush and spunky.”
Martin Bernheimer, The Financial Times, January 2012
“Another standout was Elizabeth DeShong, who brought a big, lustrous mezzo to Hermia.”
Heidi Waleson, Wall Street Journal, January 2012
Orsini / Lucrezia Borgia / San Francisco Opera
Cond. Riccardo Frizza / Dir. John Pascoe
“Elizabeth DeShong as Orsini was marvellous. Her mezzo-soprano timbre is dark and dense, and gave puissance and solidity to a role that lacks a well-rounded characterization in the opera. Even at the moments when she was joining with the chorus, her timbre was audible and at the same time it melted harmoniously. Her duet with best-friend Gennaro was truly moving.”
Marina Romani, MusicalCriticism.com, October 2011
"Elizabeth DeShong’s elegant mezzo in the pants role of Orsini complimented …Fleming. DeShong at five feet with her hair cropped short made an interesting visual impact as the physically demonstrative, affectionate friend-until-death of the handsome bare-chested Gennaro.”
Cindy Warner, Examiner, October 2011
“The extremely short DeShong sings like a vocal giant. Her lowest notes have body and depth, if not earth-shaking gravity; her midrange is rich and compelling; and her highs are dispensed with a freedom that many a mezzo daily prays for. Her duet with Fabiano was nothing short of sensational, and her famed "Brindisi" in the final act elicited deserved cheers. You've got to hear her.”
Jason Victor Serinus, The Bay Area Reporter, September 2011
“Outstanding ovations were heard for lovely, cherubic-faced Elizabeth DeShong in the breeches role of Maffio Orsini, bosom buddy of Gennaro. She is believable as a diminutive, scrappy young man, and her mezzo is powerful and compelling with great access to the lower notes (the part is generally sung by a contralto). Her acting is superb in her scenes with Fabiano who is also an excellent actor, and they throw in a little gender-back-bending-switcheroo that had the audience gasping.”
John McMullen,
Oakland CA, September 2011
“Fleming’s portrayal was more than occasionally eclipsed by the sensational singing mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong as Maffio Orsini.
Pennsylvania-born DeShong, who looks considerably less than 5 feet tall, sings like a vocal giant. Her lowest notes have body and depth, the midrange is especially rich, and she propels her secure, full, and rounded highs with, to use one of my favorite critic's adjectives, aplomb. Her duet with Fabiano at the start of Act 3 was sensational, and the second verse of the famous 'Brindisi' a cheer-eliciting tour de force. What a pair!”
Jason Victor Serinus, San Francisco Classical Voice, September 2011
“Pint-sized DeShong used her powerful voice with adventure.”
Janos Gereben, The Examiner, September 2011
“The trouser role of Orsini is sung by soprano Elizabeth DeShong, whose voice was limber as a gymnast and as creamy as a wedge of brie.”
Richard Scheinin, San Jose Mercury News, September 2011
“As his boon companion, Maffio Orsini, mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong gave an energetic and vocally forthright performance, and both singers reached their heights with a vivid, superbly delivered account of their duet in the final act.”
Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, September 2011
Mafia Orsini in Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia
English National Opera / cond. Paul Daniel / dir. Mike Figgis
“…the completely delightful Elizabeth DeShong, who charmingly plays the young blade Orsini as a tomboyish cross-dressed girl with long golden hair.”
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph, February 2011
“Elizabeth DeShong, a young mezzo-soprano with a big, bright and pleasing voice, was wonderful as Orsini.”
Anthony Tommasini, New York Times, February 2011
“[Elizabeth DeShong] has a spellbindingly thick, rich sound.”
Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, February 2011
“Elizabeth DeShong's Maffio Orsini coupled a rich, flexible mezzo-soprano with genuine dramatic presence.”
MusicalCriticism.com, February 2011
“Mezzo Elizabeth DeShong was making her ENO debut here as Maffio Orsini and did so in remarkably confident style.”
Colin Clarke, Seen and Heard International, February 2011
“Elizabeth DeShong was a rather thrilling Orsini, producing an exceptionally fruity mezzo that was luscious and full. The middle was rock-solid and the top stunning. The compass on display was exceptional, with the Brindisi a particular highlight – with a stunning ascent to a high note in the second verse… an impressive performance and one to watch out for.”
Antony Lias, Opera Britannia, February 2011
“Elizabeth DeShong's depth of tone impresses as Maffio Orsini.”
Colin Anderson, The Opera Critic, February 2011
“ENO-newcomer Elizabeth DeShong as the sexually confused Orsini [was] outstanding.”
Fiona Maddocks, The Guardian, February 2011
“Some of the evening’s most sumptuous singing came from mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong in her ENO debut as Maffio Orsini. Rock-solid technique allowed her rounded and fruity tone to fill the Coliseum and extend right through her range (this role spans over two octaves) and during the second act she treated the audience to some absolutely breathtaking cadenzas. Hers is a completely electrifying voice – and one that should definitely be invited back to The Coliseum.”
MusicOMH, February 2011
“Elizabeth DeShong's Orsino (usually a travesty role but this time not) was industrious, captivating and clear.”
The Arts Desk, February 2011