Performing in a wide variety of repertoire across the United States, Clara Nieman has earned critical praise for her "striking mezzo" (Opera News). In the 2018-19 season, Ms. Nieman debuted with both Syracuse Symphoria and the Carolina Philharmonic as the alto soloist in Handel's Messiah, as well as with New York City Ballet to cover the alto soloist in Brahms' Liebeslieder Walzer. She also returned to Opera Fayetteville as Presendia in Nico Muhly's Dark Sisters, made her concert debut with Greensboro Opera in collaboration with the Eastern Music Festival, and returned to Writing the Rockies for a complete workshop of the title role in the new opera Lottie Silks.
Operatic highlights of recent seasons include Suzuki in Madama Butterfly (Kentucky Opera), Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus (Finger Lakes Opera), Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro (Opera Saratoga), Olga in Eugene Onegin (Chautauqua Opera), and Zita in Gianni Schicchi (Crested Butte Music Festival). Ms. Nieman has often performed with Kentucky Opera, including as Dryade in Ariadne auf Naxos (starring Christine Brewer as Ariadne), Pitti-Sing in The Mikado, Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Jade Boucher in Dead Man Walking. She has appeared most frequently in La Traviata as both Flora and Annina, with such companies as Fort Worth Opera, Opera Birmingham, Opera Naples, and St. Petersburg Opera.
On the concert stage, Ms. Nieman has appeared with the Lexington Philharmonic, the Richmond Symphony, the Chautauqua Symphony, the Fifth Avenue Chamber Orchestra, the Las Colinas Symphony, Bourbon Baroque, the Louisville Master Chorale, the Hall Ensemble, and the Cliburn Foundation, among others.
Ms. Nieman is a proud champion of new works, and has been privileged to workshop the title role in the new opera Lottie Silks at various stages of its development. Her performance with Fort Worth Opera as Sor Rosa in the professional premiere of With Blood, With Ink was recorded for Albany Records. Among other new works development programs, she has participated in Fort Worth Opera’s Frontiers: New Works series and Opera Fayetteville’s festival of new works, Opera in Bloom.
Ms. Nieman received her MM in Vocal Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music, and her BM in Vocal Performance from Indiana University.
Operatic highlights of recent seasons include Suzuki in Madama Butterfly (Kentucky Opera), Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus (Finger Lakes Opera), Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro (Opera Saratoga), Olga in Eugene Onegin (Chautauqua Opera), and Zita in Gianni Schicchi (Crested Butte Music Festival). Ms. Nieman has often performed with Kentucky Opera, including as Dryade in Ariadne auf Naxos (starring Christine Brewer as Ariadne), Pitti-Sing in The Mikado, Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Jade Boucher in Dead Man Walking. She has appeared most frequently in La Traviata as both Flora and Annina, with such companies as Fort Worth Opera, Opera Birmingham, Opera Naples, and St. Petersburg Opera.
On the concert stage, Ms. Nieman has appeared with the Lexington Philharmonic, the Richmond Symphony, the Chautauqua Symphony, the Fifth Avenue Chamber Orchestra, the Las Colinas Symphony, Bourbon Baroque, the Louisville Master Chorale, the Hall Ensemble, and the Cliburn Foundation, among others.
Ms. Nieman is a proud champion of new works, and has been privileged to workshop the title role in the new opera Lottie Silks at various stages of its development. Her performance with Fort Worth Opera as Sor Rosa in the professional premiere of With Blood, With Ink was recorded for Albany Records. Among other new works development programs, she has participated in Fort Worth Opera’s Frontiers: New Works series and Opera Fayetteville’s festival of new works, Opera in Bloom.
Ms. Nieman received her MM in Vocal Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music, and her BM in Vocal Performance from Indiana University.
