Melissa Heath enjoys a varied career of opera, concert and recital work. Hailed as a “soaring, sparkling soprano” with “vivacious stage presence,” Ms. Heath has performed the roles of Amy in Mark Adamo’s Little Women, Cunegonde in Bernstein’s Candide, La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi, Marianne in Tartuffe, Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, and First Lady in The Magic Flute.
Ms. Heath has also frequented the concert stage as the soprano soloist in Mozart’s Requiem, Brahms’ German Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Orff’s Carmina Burana and in the Fauré and Rutter Requiems.
In 2003, Ms. Heath was a state finalist and in 2006 was a district winner in the Metropolitan Opera’s National Council Auditions. In 2008, she was the first place winner of her division in the Northern Utah chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition in Salt Lake City.
In 2010, Ms. Heath was the soprano soloist in Ballet West’s (Salt Lake City) production of Carmina Burana, John Rutter’s Mass of the Children with the Salt Lake Choral Artists and in Scarlatti’s Christmas Cantata with the Salt Lake Symphony.
In 2011, Ms. Heath sang the title role in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea with the University of Utah’s Lyric Opera Ensemble, and Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto with La Musica Lirica in Novafeltria, Italy. She also performed Schubert’s Shepherd on the Rock with clarinetist Robert Walzel and pianist Jeffrey Price as part of the Sundays@7 concert series at the University of Utah.
Upcoming performances include Carmina Burana with the Alpine District choir and orchestra in January 2012, Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras with the University of Utah’s Performing Dance Company in March 2012, and the title role in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah with the University of Utah’s Lyric Opera Ensemble in April 2012.
Ms. Heath, whose singing has been described as “gorgeous, wonderfully expressive, lyrical and infused with feeling,” sang for four years with the BYU Singers under the direction of Ronald Staheli, soloing with the ensemble on many occasions.
An accomplished vocal instructor and master-class technician, she has been a guest lecturer for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Temple Square Chorale on several occasions. She has coordinated concerts for the Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation and currently coordinates the Virtuoso Series at the University of Utah.
Ms. Heath received her Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance and Pedagogy from Brigham Young University, where she studied with Drs. Rebecca Wilberg and Lila Stuart-Bachelder, and her Master of Music degree in voice from the University of Utah, studying with Dr. Robert Breault. She currently coaches with Jeffrey Price and Dr. Paul Dorgan and continues her vocal studies with Dr. Breault.
Ms. Heath resides in Salt Lake City with her son.