American mezzo-soprano JoAnna Pope (she/her/hers) has been praised as a “marvelous mezzo” and is quickly gaining acclaim on opera stages across the United States.
As a Sherrill Milnes VOICE Studio Artist, Ms. Pope has enjoyed regular collaborations with the legendary baritone in both Savannah, GA and Orlando, FL since the summer of 2018. JoAnna looks forward to returning to the Savannah VOICE Festival in person this summer 2022 to debut the role of Siebel in Faust. At the 2019 Festival, she originated the role of D-Do in the world premiere of Michael Ching’s The Birthday Clown in collaboration with Savannah Opera. As a Special Guest Artist in fall of 2020, she was a featured soloist in several holiday streaming events.
Ms. Pope was recently named a 2021 Tyler Young Artist this past fall with Opera on the James where she covered the role of Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and performed the role of Ernesta in John Davies’ The Three Billy Goats Gruff. She returned to Lynchburg, VA in spring 2022 as a featured soloist in the “Musical Grand Tour” concert at the newly restored Academy Center of the Arts theater.
This past winter, Ms. Pope joined Ozarks Lyric Opera for the first time to sing the roles of Proserpina and the Nymph in the historic production of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo under the baton of Mo. Christopher Koch.
Other notable engagements for Ms. Pope include joining Boston Lyric Opera in their critically acclaimed 2019 production of The Handmaid’s Tale under the direction of Anne Bogart and baton of Mo. David Angus. She has also performed the title role in Carmen and Hansel (Hansel and Gretel) with Opera51 in 2019; Prince Charmant (Cendrillon) with Opera del West in 2019; Prince Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus) with Vox New England in 2019; Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro) with the Bay View Music Festival in 2018; Elizabeth Brigmann (Sweets by Kate) and Mrs. Bass (Emmeline) with the Boston University Opera Institute in 2017.
She joined Sarasota Opera for the first time as an Apprentice Artist for their 2020 winter festival season. Most recently, Ms. Pope covered the role of La Marquise de Berkenfield in La fille du regiment as a Studio Artist for the 2022 winter festival season. She has also returned to the company as a Resident Artist in their reimagined spring 2021 season where she sang the Spirit and the Second Witch in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas.
Ms.Pope is a Pi Kappa Lambda graduate of Boston University where she earned her MM in Vocal Performance. Originally from Jackson, MS, she currently resides in New York City.
