PATRICIA RACETTE


SINGER

"It is incumbent on the artist today to make our characters believable, to bring a character to full, three-dimensional life."
— Patricia Racette

Portrait by Kate Russell

Patricia Racette has been heralded a preeminent singing actress of our time. She has built and sustained an evolving career in the most acclaimed opera houses and concert stages of the world for over thirty years and continues to not only sustain her passion for this art form but also expand it to broader arenas as both stage director and master teacher.

An internationally recognized artist herself, she has sung leading roles at the major houses of the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Royal Opera House, La Scala, Paris Opera, Teatro Liceu, Teatro Real, Bayerische Staatsoper, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Canadian Opera Company, Ravinia Festival, Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, and San Diego Opera. She established herself as a great interpreter of Janáček and Puccini, gaining particular acclaim for her portrayals of not only the title roles of Madama Butterfly, Tosca, Jenufa, Kátya Kabanová, and all three lead soprano roles in Il Trittico but also continues to make her mark in repertory expansion to include triumphant portrayals of Strauss’s Salome, Minnie in La Fancuilla del West, Katerina in Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, Elle in La Voix Humaine,  and Kostelnicka in Jenufa. She also made her mark on The Met: Live in HD series as both leading lady in Madama ButterflyToscaPagliacci, and Peter Grimes as well as appearing as a favorite host for multiple other productions and outreach programs...

In championing new works, Ms. Racette has created roles in a number of world premieres: three works of Tobias Picker (title role of Dolores Claiborne at the San Francisco Opera, Roberta Alden in An American Tragedy at the Metropolitan Opera, and her groundbreaking performance as Emmeline at the Santa Fe Opera (broadcast on PBS and repeated live at New York City Opera); Leslie Crosbie in Paul Moravec’s The Letter at The Santa Fe Opera, and Love Simpson in Carlisle Floyd’s Cold Sassy Tree at the Houston Grand Opera.

The 2019-20 season includes Patricia's role debut as Sister Helen Préjean in Dead Man Walking for Lyric Opera of Chicago; a house debut with Opera Monte Carlo for the Teatro Real co-production of Street Scene as well as a command performance of her cabaret show, Diva on Detour; a new production of La Voix Humaine for The Dallas Opera in which she will both sing and direct. She fully embraces her new appointment as Artistic Director of the Young Artist Program for Opera Theatre of St. Louis and also directs a new production of Floyd's Susannah. In the summer she returns to Ravinia for a production of Bernstein's White House Cantata. Her intensive seminar, Integrative Artistry, will be offered for both San Francisco Conservatory and the New England Conservatory. In November, Patricia will be honored by the Metropolitan Opera Guild to mark the 25th Anniversary of her debut with the company. To end the year, the Harris Theater will present Patricia and her collaborator, Craig Terry, in a new program entitled Piaf: No Regrets.

Highlights from her 2018-19 season included a new production entitled Ne Quittez Pas (a reimagined version of Poulenc's La Voix Humaine) with Opera Company of Philadelphia's celebrated festival, a return to Barcelona’s Teatro Liceu as the title role in Kátya Kabanová, a repeat residency at San Francisco Conservatory for her Integrative Artistry master teacher seminar, her highly-anticipated role debut as Kostelnicka in Jenufa for The Santa Fe Opera, and a return to the Ravinia Festival as Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti alongside Paolo Szot with Marin Alsop conducting.

Projects in her 2017-18 season included her role debut as Magda in Menotti’s The Consul, a role and house debut in Weill’s Street Scene for Madrid’s Teatro Real, two live performances of her cabaret album Diva on Detour for Teatro Real, her Carnegie Hall debut as The Old Lady in Candide, and her directorial debut with a new production of La Traviata for Opera Theatre of St. Louis. She continues to be sought after for master classes and workshops to foster artistry in the next generation of classical singers. In January 2017 she presented the pilot program of her intensive seminar, Integrative Artistry, at the San Francisco Conservatory [SFCM] which she subsequently offered at The Juilliard School, SFCM, and Washington National Opera. 

Born and raised in New Hampshire, Ms. Racette studied jazz and music education at North Texas State University, received training in the Merola and Adler programs at San Francisco Opera, and most recently received an honorary doctorate from San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2017. Among her prestigious recognitions are an Opera News Award, the Richard Tucker Award, and the Marian Anderson Award. She also received a Grammy Award in 2017 for Best Opera Recording for her performance as Marie Antoinette in the Los Angeles Opera’s production of John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles.

Updated JANUARY 2020



Director

"As a director, I want all involved to work from the same creative palette — to form a unified aesthetic. I consider it not only my privilege but my responsibility."
— Patricia Racette

Portrait by Kate Russell

Patricia officially launched her expansion into the director's chair for a new production of La Traviata for Opera Theatre of St. Louis' 2018 season. Of Patricia's much-anticipated directorial debut ReviewsSTL noted:

One of the biggest names in opera, Racette’s presentation pairs bright colors and Camillas as visual centerpieces that contextually frame the taut fragility underpinning Violetta and Alfredo’s tumultuous relationship. The potency of this director’s interpretation also stems from her extensive knowledge of the libretto.

As a result, La Traviata resonates emotionally by amplifying the feminism of Sydney Mancasola’s Violetta and pairing it with the adolescent charm and vulnerability of tenor Geoffrey Agpalo’s Alfredo.

She also astutely plays on the audience’s heartstrings with tight pacing, a tactic that enables the spectacle of the romance to seep in gradually before unraveling completely in the third act.

Since Racette has brought multiple versions of Violetta to the stage it should come as no surprise that she has taken great care in turning the role over to Sydney Mancasola...

In May Patricia directed the Scenes Program for the Ryan Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago and returns to Opera Theatre of St. Louis to direct a new production of Floyd's Susannah for their 2020 season.



Master Teacher

"My wish is to tap into the natural instincts and abilities of each artist while addressing and improving the inevitable limitations that surface in every singing performer."
— Patricia Racette

Portrait by Kate Russell

Amidst performances renowned soprano Patricia Racette is available and excited to bring her ideas of artistry to young singers. Ms. Racette has presented Master Classes for vocalists at the Juilliard School, San Francisco Opera, The San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and The Santa Fe Opera, among others. She writes the following about her intensive seminar INTEGRATIVE ARTISTRY:

"We live in a time where artists are asked to deliver -- deliver not only competency but a transportive performance experience -- delivered both skillfully and perhaps more importantly -- truthfully. Through my seminars, which I envision to function like an extended master class, I wish to impart and encourage the importance of integrative performance, not only concentrating on the sometimes over-prioritized attention to vocal study in isolation, but also turning the lens to movement and interpretation so that a balanced collision of artistic cohesion occurs. While each factor warrants specific study, it is the functional and appreciable integration of these aspects that give the artist the chance to formulate his/her own identity through music and text.

Let me take it one step further: my wish is to tap into the natural instincts and abilities of each artist while addressing and improving the inevitable limitations that surface in every singing performer. The desired result is to draw upon the unique and personal interpretive thumbprint of each artist as s/he brings to life the narrative of every character while attending to the many requirements of vocal technique, musical style, and linguistic proficiency and authenticity."

—Patricia Racette, Autumn 2018



Press

News, Press & Acclaim



Galleries

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Susannah

Opera Theatre St. Louis, 2023

Kátia Kabànova

Gran Teatro del Liceu, 2018

Kátia Kabànova

Gran Teatro del Liceu, 2018

Kátia Kabànova

Gran Teatro del Liceu, 2018

Kátia Kabànova

Gran Teatro del Liceu, 2018

Kátia Kabànova

Gran Teatro del Liceu, 2018

Kátia Kabànova

Gran Teatro del Liceu, 2018

Ne Quittez Pas

Opera Philadelphia, 2018

Photoshoot Behind the Scenes

Santa Fe, 2018

Photoshoot Finishing Touches

At Home in Santa Fe, 2018

Candide

Carnegie Hall, 2018

Married! Again.

RBG!

The Santa Fe Opera

Salome

The Metropolitan Opera, 2017

La Fanciulla del West

Santa Fe Opera, 2016

Salome

LA Opera, 2017

La Voix Humaine

Chicago Opera Theater, 2016

The Ghosts of Versailles

LA Opera, 2015

Salome

Ravinia Festival

Pagliacci

The Metropolitan Opera, 2015

Integrative Artistry Seminar

San Francisco Conservatory of Music, 2017

Pagliacci

The Metropolitan Opera, 2015

Honorary Doctorate

San Francisco Conservatory of Music, 2017

Opera News

All American Feature, 2014

Patricia Racette

Publicity photo

Diva on Detour

San Diego Opera, 2015

Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk

English National Opera, 2015

Madama Butterfly

San Francisco Opera, 2014

Diva on Detour

EPK 2013

It Gets Better Campaign

Metropolitan Opera, 2010

Tosca

Publicity

Opera News Awards

Feature, 2011

A Diva's Desert Hideaway

Wall Street Journal Feature, 2012

Suor Angelica

The Metropolitan Opera, 2009

Married!

Summer 2005


Schedule

+ August 1 2024 | STAGE DIRECTOR, DON GIOVANNI, Merola Program of San Francisco Opera
More details coming soon...

+ April 28 - June 30 2024 | Artistic Director of the Gerdine Young Artist Programs at Opera Theater St. Louis
More details coming soon...

+ March 2, 3, 9, and 10 2024 | STAGE DIRECTOR, ROMÉO ET JULIETTE for Arizona Opera
More details coming soon...

+ November 8-11 2023 | Guest Clinician for Cafritz Artists of Washington National Opera
More details coming soon...

+ July 8 2023 | James Toland Master Class, San Francisco
More details coming soon...

+ June 6, 10, 14, 16, 18, 22, 24 2023 | STAGE DIRECTOR Opera Theatre St. Louis SUSANNAH
More details coming soon...

+ April 23 - June 26 2023 | Artistic Director of the Gerdine Young Artist Programs at Opera Theater St. Louis
More details coming soon...

+ March 11, 12 2023 | STAGE DIRECTOR of THE CONSUL at San Francisco Conservatory
More details coming soon...

+ December 8 2022 | The Harris Theater PATRICIA SINGS PIAF debut of new one-woman show with Craig Terry
More details coming soon...

+ Oct 28, 30 - Nov 2, 5 2022 | The Dallas Opera role debut(s) of The Witch and The Mother in HANSEL AND GRETEL
More details coming soon...

+ May 2 - Jun 26 2022 | Artistic Director in Residence for GYA Program Opera Theatre St. Louis
More details coming soon...

+ Mar 4, 5, 6, 12, 13 2022 | Arizona Opera role debut Desirée in Sondheim's A Little Night Music
More details coming soon...

+ Jan 14, 16, 19, and 22 of 2022 | Pat in her role debut of Madame de Croissy in CARMELITES + Fall 2021 | Film release: Opera Philadelphia James Darrah/Michael Thomas production of La Voix Humaine *Viewing options forthcoming
More details coming soon...
+ Sep 3 - 30 2021 | Streaming La Voix Humaine amongst OTSL's 2021 Season [see Opera Preview featuring Creative Consultant, Beth Clayton] + Aug 15, 22 2021 | Stage Director for multiple scenes for the Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Artist Showcase
More details coming soon...
+ Jun 19, 20 2021 | Stage Director for scenes for Opera Theatre St. Louis Center Stage showcase for Gerdine Young Artists
More details coming soon...

+ Jun 5, 14, 20 2021 | Stage Director and Soprano in a new production of Poulenc's La Voix Humaine for Opera Theatre St. Louis
More details coming soon...

+ May 1 - Jun 20, 2021 | Artistic Director in Residence for GYA Program for Opera Theatre St. Louis
More details coming soon...

+ Apr 17, 2021 | Virtual Master Class OTSL + Jan 29, 2021 | Virtual Master Class OTSL + Jan 15 - Apr 20, 2021 | Virtual Gerdine Young Artist (GYA) Expansion Program for Opera Theatre St. Louis (OTSL)
More details coming soon...


Additional schedule info is always forthcoming — please check back. Or check Patricia's artist profile on OPERABASE



Recordings

"MUSIC ENDURES."

— Patricia Racette in Conversation Piece


Contact

Make management inquiries or say hello below

CAROLINE WOODFIELD

Senior Vice President
Opus 3 Artists
WORLDWIDE

(212) 584-7526
cwoodfield@opus3artists.com

+ View Patricia's Opus 3 Artist Page

RAFFAELLA COLETTI


Coletti Artist Management
EUROPE

info@raffaellacolettiAM.com

+ View Patricia's Coletti Artist Page