Marquita Lister
Soprano
New England First Place Winner 1983

Washington D.C. native Marquita Lister is taking audiences everywhere by storm with her intense, expressive portrayals of operatic roles and her enormous versatility. Critics all over the world rave about the soprano’s poignant, precise and intelligent technique, her exquisite voice, and her courage and determination to dare the utmost in her performances.

Marquita Lister studied at the “New England Conservatory of Music” in Boston and won prizes at several singing competitions. The Houston Grand Opera then noticed her talent and brought her into the house as a member of the famous Houston Grand Opera Studio, where Ms. Lister spent two years and appeared in roles such as that of Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Micaela in Carmen, and that of the High Priestess in the spectacular Wortham Theater Center's inaugural production of Aida with Mirella Freni and Placido Domingo (with a televised broadcast).

Her convincing performance of Bess in the celebrated production of Porgy and Bess at the New York City Opera (with a televised broadcast) prompted the opera house to award Marquita Lister its “NYCO Diva Award 2002”.

With her performances of Nedda (I Pagliacci) and Musetta (La Bohème) for the prestigious Arena di Verona, Ms. Lister firmly established herself as an international star. She received the “Artist of the Year Award” of the Pittsburgh Opera and was engaged by Götz Friedrich, stage director and General Manager of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, for his production of Porgy and Bess at the Theater des Westens, followed by ground-breaking performances with the Bregenz Festival. Other highlights in Ms. Lister’s career so far include Aida at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Grosses Festspielhaus Salzburg, as well as performances with Placido Domingo (Houston Grand Opera Concert), Justino Diaz (Johnstown Sympony Orchestra Concert) and Simon Estes.

The season 2005/2006 started with a huge success at the Semperoper Dresden, where Marquita Lister made her debut in the part of Lady Macbeth, celebrated by the press as “the ideal cast both in voice and stature” (Frank Piontek). In the coming months, Ms. Lister will also appear as Bess at the Atlanta Opera (November), as Salome (November and December - Semperoper Dresden; June - Michigan Opera Theater), as Lady Macbeth (February and July - Semperoper Dresden), and finally as Elena in I Vespri siciliani at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires (May).

Marquita Lister has appeared in numerous television productions, for instance with the Boston Pops, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, "Blue Monday" PBS, and in the broadcast “Live from Lincoln Center. ” She has recorded George Gershwin’s for Telarc Records, and excerpts from Porgy and Bess with the Cincinnati Pops conducted by Erich Kunzel. She can also be heard on the Albany Records recording of "Where the sunsets bleed" by Edward Knight.

In February/March 2006, Ms. Lister will be recording Porgy and Bess for Decca Recording.

Ms. Lister is represented by Pinnacle Arts.

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