|
The American soprano and flautist, Mara Riley, has felt from a young age that classical music was her purpose in life. She obtained her Bachelor of Music degree in Flute & Vocal Performance from University of Colorado (August 2016-December 2020). Currently pursuing a double Master of Music degree at the New England Conservatory, she is forging a unique path that combines her two disciplines in innovative ways. She admits to having a strong competitive streak. In 2020, she received 2nd place in the Boulder Bach Festival's World Bach Competition. She also received the Honorable Mention in CU’s Honors Competition for her performance of Benjamin Britten's Les Illuminations. She won 1st place in her category in the 2020 NATS regional round. She was named a winner of the Undergraduate Vocal Scholarship Competition (both 2018 and 2019) and competed in the NATS National Semifinals (2019).
Particularly interested in opera as a flutist and a singer, Mara Riley has been involved with the Eklund Opera program in both capacities. Credits include A Girl (“Somewhere”) in Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story (2018), Flora in Benjamin Britten's The Turn of the Screw (2019), Mary Hatch in Heggie’s It’s a Wonderful Life (2019), Héro in Berlioz’s Béatrice et Bénédict (2020), Taumännchen in Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel (2020), and principal flute in W.A. Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. She hopes to make opera a large part of her future career, as she feels that opera is a medium uniquely equipped to affect people.
Equally intrigued by concert work and oratorio, she has found opportunities within Colorado to explore the genres. She was the soprano soloist in George Frideric Handel's Messiah with the Boulder Bach Festival in December 2021. In 2018, she appeared with the Colorado Saints Chorale and Orchestra as a soloist in Rob Gardner’s oratorio, The Lamb of God, and was invited back the following year to sing the same role. In 2020, she was featured as a soloist and ensemble member in the Boulder Bach Festival’s virtual concert series. She is Bach Institute 2023 Fellow of Emmanuel Music (Artistic Director: Ryan Turner). |
