OPERA BIO

Elise Miller, lyric mezzo soprano is becoming increasingly well-known for her impressive versatility and shimmering vocalism, spanning a wide variety of roles and genres ranging from opera to musical theatre, including femme fatales to her specialty in trouser roles and many more.

In the spring of 2024, Ms. Miller made a huge impression as Mrs. Lovett in I.U. Opera Theater’s highly-anticipated production of Sweeney Todd under the baton of Constantine Kitsopoulos and stage direction of Michael Shell.  Most recently this summer 2024, she served as an Emerging Artist at Charlottesville Opera, where she performed the role of Mrs. Paroo in The Music Man and covered the role of Gianetta in L’Elisir d’Amore, in addition to being a featured artist in various other concerts and performances.  Upcoming this fall 2024, Ms. Miller is thrilled to create the role of Rosa Saks in the world premiere opera, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay under the baton of Michael Christie and stage direction of Bartlett Sher.  This eagerly-awaited production will initially be created and presented by I.U. Opera Theatre, then by the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.

Last summer 2023, Ms. Miller debuted with Central City Opera as an Apprentice Artist covering the role of Lilli Vanessi/Kate in Kiss Me, Kate.  Also last season, she sang the role of Luzuli in L’etoile with the auspicious Indiana University (“I.U.”) Opera Theater.  A lover of musical theatre, jazz, and cabaret music, Ms. Miller performed a varied array of German cabaret selections with an up-and-coming company called “The Wild Stage” in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania last summer.  No stranger to new music, she performed the role of Lowri in the world premiere of Rhiannon’s Condemnation by composer Leigha Amick with New Voices Opera during their 2021-2022 season.  She also appeared in I.U. Opera Theater’s productions of La Rondine as Lolette and in L’Incoronazione di Poppea as Emperor Nerone.  Additionally, she was part of the staged premiere of The Loathly Lady presented by the Vienna Summer Music Festival in St. Petersburg, Florida, performing the role of Virginia Woolf.

Other noteworthy credits for Elise Miller include the role of Beth March in Little Women (I.U. Opera Theater), La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi (Music On Site, Inc.), Silly Girl and Enchanted Object in Beauty and the Beast (Woodlawn Theater), Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro and Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly (Mediterranean Opera Festival; Sicily, Italy).  Ms. Miller premiered the role of Jean in a contemporary opera called The War Bride by composer Nathan Felix at Luminaria: San Antonio Arts Festival in 2018.  She was a Resident Artist with OPERA San Antonio from 2018-2020 and appeared in their mainstage productions of Tosca, Faust, La Traviata, and Carmen.  Previously, Ms. Miller was an Opera Studio Participant in the prestigious American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria.

Elise Miller resides in Bloomington, Indiana, where in addition to her active performing schedule she is working on her Doctoral Degree in Vocal Performance at the world-renowned Indiana University School of Music.  Ms. Miller currently studies voice with Metropolitan Opera soprano, Heidi Grant Murphy.

VIDEO

Moments in the Woods / Into the Woods (Sondheim)

This Journey / Dead Man Walking (Heggie)

Non so piu / Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart)

O petite étoile / L’etoile (Chabrier)

Nobles Seigneurs, Salut! / Les Huguenots (Meyerbeer)

So in Love / Kiss Me, Kate (Porter)

Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle? / Romeo et Juliette (Gounod)

I Bought This Suitcase / Flight (Dove)

RESUME

CAREER INFLUENCES

Conductors:  Michael Christie, Constantine Kitsopoulos, Marzio Conti, Brian DeMaris, Brandon Eldredge, Kevin Murphy

Directors:  Bartlett Sher, Kathleen Belcher, Cara Consilvio, Michael Shell, Candace Evans, E. Loren Meeker

Voice Teachers:  Heidi Grant Murphy (current), Patricia Stiles, Caroline Worra, Peter Volpe

Coaches:  Michael Baitzer, Tyson Deaton, Kristin Ditlow, Kevin Murphy, Charles Prestinari