BIOGRAPHY
about erin
Praised for her “remarkably agile” (Fanfare Magazine) and “creamy-voiced” singing (Chicago Stage Standard), mezzo-soprano Erin Rosales brings “fearless intensity” (Chicago Classical Review) and “intensely valid vocalism” (Voce di Meche) to the operatic and concert stage. Described as possessing a “voice of a generation” - a lush, voluminous mezzo of recognizable and distinct color - and a personality that "simply oozes charm" (Parterre Box), Ms. Rosales is quickly winning over her audiences as she establishes herself in signature roles such as Carmen, Dalila, Santuzza, Suzuki, & Isabella.
This season, Ms. Rosales will be making debuts at Lyric Opera of Chicago in their Hispanic Heritage Month: In Our Words Concert and as Frida Kahlo / Alicia in Frida Kahlo & the Bravest Girl in the World and at Teatro Ángela Peralta in Mazatlán, México as Flora Bervoix in La Traviata. This season also includes return appearances at Opera Modesto as Mother / Witch in Hansel & Gretel and at Company TBA as La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi as well as a soloist in their Puccini Fest concert. She advances as a Finalist in the John Alexander National Vocal Competition as well as in the 16th Annual Concorso Internazionale Lirico Città di Brescia. She is also honored to receive a Role Preparation Grant from the Olga Forrai Foundation.
During the 2023/2024 season, Ms. Rosales made several important role debuts including Mercédès and covering the title role in Bizet’s Carmen to critical acclaim. OPERA Magazine (with Opera News) hailed her as "destined for Carmen." U.S. 1 Princeton described Ms. Rosales as "especially expressive and vocally on point" and Town Topics Princeton praised her as "entertaining" and "particularly showing vocal prowess." The same season included a return to Opera West where she made her role debut as Lola and covered the role of Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana. Ms. Rosales then made her house debut at Opera Modesto originating the role of Anne Bale in the World Premiere of Evan Meier's Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Fallen Giant, commissioned by American Lyric Theater.
Notable career highlights include Ms. Rosales’s “delightfully wicked” (Operawire) and “comical yet deadly” (The Wall Street Journal) portrayal as Second Witch in Unison Media / Death of Classical’s production of Dido & Aeneas taking place in the catacombs of Greenwood Cemetery. She also starred as Asakir in the Chicago & Midwest Premiere of Fairouz’s Sumeida’s Song with Third Eye Theater Ensemble to critical acclaim. Ms. Rosales was praised for bringing “fearless intensity to the bitter, unhinged Asakir, a kind of Mommy Dearest of the desert. The young mezzo-soprano threw herself into the demanding role singing with volatile commitment" (Chicago Classical Review). Her “remarkably agile” (Fanfare Magazine) voice can also be heard originating the role of Austin on the World Premiere recording of Rossà Crean's The Great God Pan released on Naxos America. She also had the pleasure of singing the title role in excerpts from Robert Xavier Rodriguez’s Frida in a broadcast for Mexican Television Station, Sistema Michoacano de Radio y Televisión.
Ms. Rosales's extensive stage credits include Isabella (L'italiana in Algeri, cover with performance), La Marquise de Berkenfield (La Fille du Régiment, cover with performance) and Juno / Ino (Semele, cover) at St Petersburg Opera; Consuelo (West Side Story) and Inès (Il Trovatore) at Opera San José; Sister Berthe (The Sound of Music) and Olga (The Merry Widow) at Charlottesville Opera; Dritte Dame (Die Zauberflöte) at Washington Opera Society; the title role in Carmen for Hispanic Heritage Month at New York Public Library and also at Open Door Theater; Suzuki (Madama Butterfly) at Opera West and also Main Street Opera; Cousin Hebe (HMS Pinafore) and Tisbe (La Cenerentola) with Opera Louisiane; Rosina (Il Barbiere di Siviglia, cover) at the Natchez Festival of Music; Pitti-Sing (The Mikado) at DuPage Opera Theater, with Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra and at Bronx Opera; and Secretary (The Consul) and Miss Foster (Lady in the Dark) also at Bronx Opera, among others.
Ms. Rosales’s recital engagements include appearing at Ravinia Festival and recent debuts at 92NY and Carnegie Hall performing selections from Carmen, Samson et Dalila, and L’italiana in Algeri. Ms. Rosales has sung the Alto Solos in many notable works including Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Hasse’s Miserere, Bach’s Magnificat, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle.
On the competition circuit, she was named a Finalist in the Career Bridges Grant Awards Competition and secured 4th place in the Concorso Internazionale di Canto Lirico “Vano Visioli.” Ms. Rosales has been recognized as a Semi-Finalist in several important competitions including Loren L. Zachary Competition, Gerda Lissner International Voice Competition, Vincerò World Singing Competition, Premiere Opera Foundation’s International Vocal Competition, Camerata Bardi International Voice Competition, and Lyra New York Competition.
Ms. Rosales is an Alumna of both the Studio & Emerging Artist programs at St Petersburg Opera Company, the Ader Emerging Artist program at Charlottesville Opera, Russian Opera Workshop, Jennifer Rowley’s Aria Bootcamp and Vincerò Academy. She received her formal vocal training in Paris, France at L’Ecole Normale de Musique. Outside of music, Ms. Rosales loves coffee, travel and is currently writing her first novel. She is also an Award Winning Michelin Starred bartender and mixologist, and her recipes can be found in Gray Whale Gin's cocktail manual, The Shift.