Teacher

Deborah Mayer's interpretation of the demanding soprano roles of Wagner, Verdi, and Mozart have received critical acclaim in several of the world's leading opera houses.

She made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Gerhilde in DIE WALKÜRE in Robert LePage’s new landmark production of THE RING CYCLE conducted by Fabio Luisi, which also marked her Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcast debut. She also recently debuted as Gerhilde with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Act III of DIE WALKÜRE at the Tanglewood Music Festival, featuring Byrn Terfel as Wotan. With the Toledo Symphony. Ms. Mayer sang "Brünnhilde's Immolation Scene" from GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG, as well as the role of Brünnhilde in SIEGFRIRED.

Ms. Mayer's Paris debut was at the Théâtre du Châtelet as Ada in Richard Wagner's first opera DIE FEEN, led by Marc Minkowski and acclaimed stage director Emilio Sagi. The Wiener Zeitung

hailed her performance as a "magical, then dramatic Ada" while the Frankfurter Rundschau extolled her "focused beguiling Ada". The role of Ada in DIE FEEN represents Ms. Mayer's foray into Wagnerian repertory with the Mainfranken Theater Würzburg in celebration of the theater's 200th Anniversary. Among the distinguished guests in attendance at the gala premiere of Wagner's first and rarely performed opera was the composer's grandson, Wolfgang Wagner. Of her performance, the Frankfurter Neue Presse exclaimed, "Hochdramatische, Deborah Mayer (Ada) portrayed the Wagnerian role to its fullest. A real Wagnerian!"

Highlights of recent seasons include the title role in AIDA, and Madame Lidoine in Poulenc's DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES ?with the Eugene Opera, Donna Anna in DON GIOVANNI at the Landestheater Salzburg, and Elettra in IDOMENEO with the Mainfranken Theater as part of the Mozart Festival. While at the Mainfranken Theater Würzburg, she has bowed as Abigaille in NABUCCO,, Donna Anna in DON GIOVANNI, and Martha Marnis in LIMONEN AUS SIZILIEN by Manfred Trojahn in a new version of the work, directed by the composer. Ms. Mayer has sung the role of Leonora in IL TROVATORE with the Baltimore Opera, and the Syracuse Opera, the title role in AIDA at Opera Roanoke and the title role in TOSCA with the Opera Theater of Connecticut. Honored as a winner in the Palm Beach Opera Awards, her professional debut came in LA TRAVIATA with Palm Beach Opera, conducted Maestro Anton Guadagno, and directed by Tito Cappobianco.

Ms. Mayer's European debut was in Verdi's MESSA DI REQUIEM with the Philharmonia Orchestra London at the Chichester Festival. She was also the soprano soloist in the Verdi’s MESSA DI REQUIEM in Würzburg, Germany and in Beethoven's 9th SYMPHONY with the Würzburg Philharmonic Orchestra under the guidance of Daniel Klajner for a concert commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War II. She has reprised Beethoven's 9th SYMPHONY at the Astoria Music Festival, and with the South Bend Symphony, and was the soprano soloist in Mendelsohn’s ELIJAH opposite baritone, Nathan Gunn. Other performances include Wagner's WESENDONCK LIEDER at the Astoria Music Festival, as well as in Seoul, Korea with the Daejeon Philharmonic at the Seoul Arts Center for a concert that was telecast nationally with additional performances in Daejeon.

An accomplished recitalist, she was invited by the Richard Wagner Society of Bayreuth to present a recital in Bayreuth. Germany. She holds the distinction of being the first American awarded a stipendium by this prestigious organization. Ms. Mayer also sang Richard Wagner's WESENDONCK LIEDER ?in recital for the Richard Wagner Society of Chicago. As a recipient of the American Wagner Association prize in the Liederkranz Competition in 2010, she performed in recital at Carnegie Hall (Weill Hall) . She received her Bachelor of Music, and Master of Music degrees from Indiana University where she studied with world-renowned soprano Virginia Zeani, and her husband, the legendary basso Nicola Rossi-Lemeni.

Ms. Mayer can be heard singing excerpts from CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA in the 2016 film THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, available on Netflix.

While Ms. Mayer still enjoys an active performing career, she teaches classical singers, film and theater majors, country, jazz, and musical theater performers, ranging in levels from beginners to accomplished professionals. Some of Ms. Mayer’s voice students have appeared on The JIMMY FALLON SHOW, in concert with Patti Lupone, Christine Chenoweth, and Todd Rundgren, in national tours such as THE LION KING,, BEAUTIFUL – THE CAROL KING MUSICAL , and IN THE HEIGHTS. Ms. Mayer’s classical voice students have won numerous college music scholarships, including the American Spiritual Collegiate Solo Voice Competition, the Classical Singer Music Vocal Competition, the Kalamazoo Back Festival’s Young Vocalist Competition, and have been finalists in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Awards.

In addition to her private studio, Ms. Mayer has held faculty positions at Central Michigan University, where she was Lecturer in Voice, Goshen College, South Western Michigan College, The Raclin School of the Arts at Indiana University South Bend, and the University of Notre Dame, where she has been on faculty since 2006. Ms. Mayer has worked extensively with Notre Dame’s Department of Film, Television and Theater in master classes and as vocal coach for the musical SPRING AWAKENINGS and the new musical, AN OLD FAMILY RECIPE. At Opera Notre Dame, she served as vocal coach for the CANDIDE, SWEENY TODD, THE MAGIC FLUTE, and AS YOU LIKE IT. She has conducted master classes for the Opera Academy at the Eugene Opera, the Young Artist Program at Opera Steamboat, numerous area high schools, and served on auditions committees for Classical Singer Music Vocal Competition, Kalamazoo Bach Festival’s Young Vocalists Competition, as well as for the Ezio Pinza Foundation for American Singers of Opera.