American soprano Marnie Breckenridge has earned international acclaim as a go-to performer of a vast repertoire spanning from bel canto through contemporary and newly commissioned works. A leading figure in modern opera, she is celebrated for her deeply poignant character portrayals, intelligent musicianship, and remarkable vocal versatility. Critics have praised her  “bell-like ring over an enormous range and personality spilling from every note” (The Globe and Mail), “lovely soprano” voice (The New York Times), and “lyrical poignancy and dramatic power” (The Chicago Tribune). Highly sought after by today’s most gifted composers, Breckenridge has originated roles in nine world-premiere operas and has recorded extensively with living composers. She received the DORA Award for “Outstanding Performance by an Individual in an Opera” (2020; re-nominated in 2025) for Jacqueline, a role she helped create with composer Luna Pearl Woolf and librettist Royce Vavrek. The opera – written for Breckenridge and cellist Matt Haimovitz – explores the life of Jacqueline Du Pré (Tapestry Opera, PDX Festival, WestEdge Opera). Other favorite roles include; Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor (Orlando Opera, Indianapolis Opera, & Mobile Opera), Mother in Little’s Dog Days (LA Opera & Ft. Worth Opera, Prototype Festival), Sierva Maria in Peter Eötvös’s Love and Other Demons (Glyndebourne Festival Opera), Kathie in Getty’s opera Goodbye, Mr. Chips (film), Susannah in Laura Schwendinger’s Artemisia (Left Coast Ensemble), La Princesse in Philip Glass’ Orphée, title role in Milhaud’s Médée, and Margarita Xirgu in Golijov’s Ainadamar (Opera Parallèle), her Ravinia Festival debut in Jake Heggie’s To Hell and Back alongside Patti LuPone

(Philharmonia Baroque), and Cunegonde in Candide (English National Opera, Prague State Opera). Breckenridge’s recorded legacy includes Everyone Sang (David Conte), The Layers and Mortality Mansions (Herschel Garfein), There Is Another Sky (Henry Mollicone), Summer Songs & In Real Life (Robert Paterson), Arab Love Songs (Richard Aldag). She is also featured on Dmitri Hvorostovsky’s Heroes & Villains, New World Records’ Victor Herbert Collected Songs, and her own holiday album, Happy Golden Days, available on all major streaming platforms.