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The American mezzo-soprano, Leia Lensing, completed her formal training at the University of Northern Iowa, where she earned her Bachelor of Music Education (2015) and Master of Music (2018) degrees. Although a coming from a small-town, she has broadened her horizons and traveled nationally to young artist programs such as Des Moines Metro Opera, Sante Fe Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, and Houston Grand Opera. In February 2018, she was awarded the First Prize in the Eleanor Mccollum Competition for Young Singers at Houston Grand Opera, as well as capturing the Online Viewers’ Choice Award, delivering a performance with “goosebump-inducing richness and beauty” (Houston Grand Opera).
In the 2018-2019 season, Leia Lensing made her debut as Frau Mary in Der fliegende Holländer, performing with “clarity and opulent color” (Houstonia) and “a natural and unforced low tessitura perfect for this role” (Schmopera). She was a Houston district winner for the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions, leading to her encouragement award at the regional level in New Orleans. In May 2019, she performed Dmitri Shostakovich’s Spanish Songs Op. 100 in the Rienzi Recital series with Houston Grand Opera. She returned to Santa Fe Opera to cover the role of Grandmother Buryjovka in Jenůfa, as well as performing in Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music.
For the 2019-2020 season, Leia Lensing returned to the Houston Grand Opera Studio, where she performed in scenes from Giustino (George Frideric Handel), La pietra del paragone (Rossini), and Cendrillon (Massenet). A highlight of the season was covering the role of David in G.F. Handel’s Saul. In January, she received 2nd Place in the Gulf Coast Region Finals in the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions, as well as winning the Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year Competition with Shreveport Opera, in March. She finished her time in the studio by performing works of Benjamin Britten and Herbert Howells in an HGO studio recital at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and was scheduled to return to the main stage in the spring productions, unfortunately canceled due to the pandemic.
This past October (2020), Leia Lensing made her debut with Ars Lyrica Houston (Director: Ars Lyrica Houston) in a concert of J.S. Bach, performing BWV 170: Vergnügte Ruh’, beliebte Seelenlust and BWV 134: Ein Herz, das seinen Jesum lebend weiß. Having graduated from the Houston Grand Opera Studio in May 2020, she went on to make her virtual debut with Wolf Trap Opera that following summer. There, Lensing performed in several virtual scenes projects, including large portions of Orfeo ed Euridice, Eugene Onegin, and Serse.
Leia Lensing possesses musical instincts and skill for early music, having performed as a soloist in several J.S. Bach cantatas and a regional premiere of Antonio Vivaldi’s cantata, RV 677 Qual per ignoto calle, in her graduate studies. In addition to her chamber ensemble work, Lensing is seasoned in singing with orchestra and wind ensemble. Some of her experiences include Haydn’s Theresienmesse, Jacob de Haan’s Nerval’s Poems, and excerpts from G.F. Handel’s Messiah. Lensing is an experienced song recitalist. Recent performance credits include excerpts from Berlioz’s Les nuits d’ete, Copland’s Old American Songs, Edward Elgar’s Sea Pictures, and Gustav Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn.
In addition to her inclination for early music, Leia Lensing is experienced in new opera works, having covered the role of Pasqualita (Doctor Atomic) in the 2018 Sante Fe Opera season and participated in a workshop for an upcoming Opera Philadelphia premiere.
As the COVID-19 Pandemic swept across the world, Leia Lensing was scheduled to make several role and house debuts, including the following: the Page of Herodias in Salome and Third Lady in W.A. Mozart Die Zauberflöte, April/May 2020, HGO; Olga in Eugene Onegin, June 2020, Wolf Trap Opera debut; Frau Mary in Der fliegende Holländer, October 2020, Utah Opera debut; Flower Maiden and Voice from above in Parsifal, February 2021, HGO; Unfortunately, all were canceled to social distancing and safety measures for the pandemic. Looking forward to Summer 2021, Lensing is thrilled to return to Wolf Trap Opera as the title role in Gustav Holst’s Savitri, as well as performing in the Salon Series of virtual recitals. She will be making her house and role debuts with Florentine Opera as Maman, la tasse chinoise, un pâtre, and la libellule in L’enfant et les sortilèges in March 2022 and with Utah Opera as Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance in May 2022! |
