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Mezzo-soprano Megan Stetson is an active performer in the Bay Area.  Her expression and sensitivity are a delight in the concert hall, while her exuberance and virtuosity enliven any operatic stage.  In May of 2008, Megan made her professional operatic debut as Kate Pinkerton in Martinez Opera’s production of Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini.  In the summer of 2008 at the Bay View Music Festival in Traverse Bay, Michigan she sang the title role in Bizet’s Carmen, along with a seven show run of 1940’s music and dancing in a musical revue entitled Stage Door Canteen.  Megan made her debut with Pocket Opera here in San Francisco in 2009 as Helene in Offenbach’s La Belle Hélène, followed by Staruszka in Moniuszko’s The Haunted Manor, and Mercedes in their July production of Bizet’s Carmen.  Last fall Megan sang  Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Oakland Metro Opera House with the Bay Area Bach Ensemble, followed by Hansel i

n Golden Gate Opera’s outreach performances of Hansel and Gretel.  In February of 2010, Megan was featured as the alto soloist for Beethoven’s Mass in C with the Stanford University Symphonic Orchestra and Chorus. This April and May she sang the “Pie Jesu” movement of Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem with the International Orange Chorale of San Francisco.  This spring and summer Megan performed the roles of Bianca in La Rondine, Métella in La Vie Parisienne and Flora in La Traviata with Pocket Opera in San Francisco.  In addition to singing, this season Megan served as the choreographer for La Vie Parisienne and La Traviata.  Megan has also sung the roles of Venus in Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, and Ottavia in Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea.  She is a frequent addition to many concert programs, singing songs by such composers as Hector Berlioz, Jake Heggie, André Previn, and Joseph Canteloube.

    In the spring of 2006, on an international tour of Aix en Provence, Paris, and Rouen, France, Stetson was featured as the soloist for the Pie Jesu movement of Duruflé’s luxurious Requiem.  During the Yehudi  Menuhin Festival that took place in June of 2007, Megan was a featured soloist in the world premiere of Three Songs for Mezzo-soprano and Piano by internationally acclaimed composer and pianist, Emile Naoumoff.  Since the completion of her Master’s degree, Megan has performed Despina in excerpts of Così fan tutte in a Gala performance with Capitol Opera.  She has also appeared with Golden Gate Opera as part of their Opera Gala Series and with Martinez Opera in the opening celebration for their new production facility.

    An Ann Arbor, Michigan native, Megan received her Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.  During her time in the Midwest, she studied with internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano, Mignon Dunn.  After a brief time exploring other creative interests, including starting a handmade fingerless glove business, as well as recording with musical artists outside of the classical genre, Stetson began her post-baccalaureate studies at San Francisco State University. She received a degree of Master of Music in Classical Voice in 2007 from that institution, having studied both voice and vocal pedagogy from Dr. Alissa Walters-Deeter.  Following her graduate studies Megan began studying with mezzo-soprano Catherine Cook, a member of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music voice faculty, as well as a long-time performer with the San Francisco Opera.  In addition to her studies within the United States, Megan also participated in Joan Dornemann’s International Institute for Vocal Arts in Chiari, Italy.

    Megan has also been honored with several awards and scholarships.  In 2006, she won first place in the Opera Aria division, as well as second place in the Art Song division of the NATS Vocal Competition in San Francisco.  In 2005, she was awarded with a full tuition Pone scholarship towards her master’s degree for her outstanding merit and musicianship, and spent her last year at San Francisco State serving as a graduate teaching associate in applied voice along with an independent studio.

       This coming September, Megan will make her debut with Opera San Jose singing the role of Princess Betsy in their West Coast premiere of Anna Karenina by American composer, David Carlson.  In October Megan will perform with Golden Gate Opera as Hansel in their production of the beloved children’s opera, Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck.  Over the holiday season, Megan will appear as Lady Bracebridge, singing and dancing in the Bracebridge dinner show in Yosemite National Park’s elegant Ahwahnee Hotel.