Acclaimed by critics for her portrayal of the Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte, Lorraine Ernest has captivated audiences in opera houses across the United States and Europe. Peter G. Davis of New York Magazine remarked, “Lorraine Ernest brought down the house with her spectacular arias.” Ms. Ernest has performed this signature role with notable organizations, including the New York City Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Washington National Opera, and the Denver Symphony Orchestra, under the distinguished baton of Marin Alsop. Her engagements also include performances with Opera Grand Rapids, Palm Beach Opera, Central City Opera, and the Volksoper in Vienna.
Her repertoire further encompasses a celebrated debut with the Opera Company of Philadelphia as Elvira in L’Italiana in Algeri, a performance that was broadcast nationwide on PBS and featured a stellar cast, including Stephanie Blythe, Juan Diego Florez, and Arthur Woodley. Other significant performances include her Carnegie Hall debut, where she sang the role of Mademoiselle Jouvenot in a concert version of Adriana Lecouvreur with the Opera Orchestra of New York, as well as her debut with the Los Angeles Opera in the role of Princess Tatishchev alongside Placido Domingo in Nicholas and Alexandra. Additionally, her extensive repertoire includes the title roles of Lucia di Lammermoor, Lakme, the lead role of Violetta in La traviata, Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Olympia in Les contes d’Hoffmann, Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare, Musetta in La bohème, and Adele in Die Fledermaus.
Beyond her accomplished solo performance career, Lorraine Ernest received her Bachelor of Music and Masters degree from Oklahoma City University. As well, she was invited and attended the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, where she obtained her Artist Diploma from the world-renowned institution. Now dedicated to teaching the next generation of vocalists, she has served on the voice faculties at Montclair State University, Seton Hall University, and is currently on the faculty of the University of Oklahoma. Her students have achieved remarkable success on and off Broadway, with affiliations to esteemed organizations such as Utah Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Washington National Opera Young Artist Program, San Francisco Opera, and various companies across Asia, Europe, and the United States.
