Emily Pulley, Soprano
Soprano Emily Pulley’s radiant voice and electrifying acting have won her both national and international acclaim. Opera News writes, “Pulley’s bright, perceptively shaded tone and sensitive, responsive acting make her a refreshing heroine, always playing the role rather than the star turn.” The New York Times described her portrayal of the title role of Floyd’s Susannah as being, “sung with unfailing warmth, radiance, and spirit,” and elsewhere has lauded her singing as “faultless and exquisite.”
A frequent presence at the Metropolitan Opera, Ms. Pulley’s roles in the legendary house include Marguerite in Faust, Nedda in I pagliacci, Blanche in Dialogues of the Carmelites, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Anne Trulove in The Rake’s Progress, Musetta in La bohème, Valencienne in The Merry Widow, Thérèse in Les Mamelles de Tirésias, and First Lady in a new production of Die Zauberflöte directed by Julie Taymor. She made her debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden as Mimi in La bohème.
Ms. Pulley has delighted audiences across the country on the stages of New York City Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Dallas Opera, Minnesota Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Seattle Opera, Opera Colorado, and Central City Opera in such roles as Tatyana in Eugene Onegin, Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Minnie in La fanciulla del West, and Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus. A champion of new repertoire, she created the role of Lysia in the world premiere of Mark Adamo’s new opera, Lysistrata, in her Houston Grand Opera debut, which she then reprised for New York City Opera. She made her New York City Opera debut as Lavinia Mannon in Mourning Becomes Electra for which she won the New York City Opera Richard F. Gold Debut Artist Award.
Emily Pulley’s 2008-09 season includes the role of Blanche in Dialogues des Carmélites with Austin Lyric Opera, Agathe in Der Freischütz with Opera Boston, the title role in Susannah and an appearance as soloist in “Songs of the South” with Mobile Opera, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus with Opera Delaware, Countess in Le nozze di Figaro with Sacramento Opera, as soloist in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 at the Chautauqua Institution and a performance with Albany Symphony Orchestra in a celebration of music by Puccini. Upcoming engagements include Governess in the Turn of the Screw with Boston Lyric Opera.
Her 2007-08 season included performances as First Lady in Bernstein’s A White House Cantata with New York City’s Collegiate Chorale, Marguerite in Faust with New Orleans Opera, the Governess in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw with Sacramento Opera, Madame Lidoine in Dialogues of the Carmelites with Kentucky Opera, Love Simpson in Cold Sassy Tree with Amarillo Opera, and performances in Arizona Opera’s production entitled “Gems: Four Decades of Arizona Opera.” She returned to Central City Opera in the summer of 2008 to sing the title role in Susannah.
Other recent performance highlights include performances of Carmina Burana and Nedda in I pagliacci with Atlanta Opera, Josephine in HMS Pinafore with Anchorage Opera, Sarah in Jake Heggie’s The End of the Affair for Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni with Central City Opera. She also returned to Central City Opera in the title role of Vanessa, made her debut at the Wexford Festival in the title role of Susannah, and performed selections from the operatic repertoire with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
A native of Texas, Ms. Pulley received the Richard F. Gold Career Grant from Central City Opera and the Jacobson Study Grant from the Richard Tucker Foundation. She is the 2006 recipient of New York City Opera’s Christopher Keene Award, recognizing an artist’s performance in new or unusual repertoire.
