“Blessed with great theatrics…as well as a resonant voice. Excellent interpretation.”-The American Prize

Vanessa Naghdi, Soprano, created the role of the Narrator/Soprano Soloist in the premiere of the one-woman multimedia opera, Zal & the Phoenix, in her return to Catalyst New Music this past season. She also performed her curated program of Persian Songs Old + New to a sold-out audience.

Ms. Naghdi also made her recital debut at the New England Conservatory of Music in a concert entitled Music of the Iranian Diaspora. She also returned to Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras for their production of Don Carlo this past season. Ms. Naghdi made her international debut as Cleopatra with Opéra Queens the previous season. She also covered the role of Arsinoë in the world premiere of Cleopatra Built with the company. Ms. Naghdi also joined the Salem Philharmonic Orchestra as the Soprano Soloist for Exsultate, jubilate. Previous seasons saw her cover the titular role of Marie in La fille du régiment with St. Petersburg Opera Company. She also sang in the Bella Voce Gala, Broadway Cabaret, for Opera at The Dalí Museum, and the St. Petersburg Opera Guild. Ms. Naghdi also performed with Mixtape Recital Series. She performed the role of Flora in La Traviata with MassOpera and created the role of Linda in the premiere of Reap What You Soul with Promenade Opera Project. Ms. Naghdi was also a Resident Artist with Sparrow Live for their inaugural season. She was also the Soprano Soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Newburyport Choral Society. Ms. Naghdi also performed operatic favorites with River City Opera and for Love Travels the World with Bel Cantanti Opera. She sang in the premiere of The Ritual of Breath is the Rite to Resist at Dartmouth College. Ms. Naghdi competed as a finalist in Opera Connecticut’s American Opera Idol Competition, which she stepped into in less than 12 hours. Upcoming engagements include performing Seeking You with composer Niloufar Nourbakhsh for to live freely at Longy School of Music of Bard College.

Ms. Naghdi was recently an Artist in Residence with Opera Colorado. While in Denver, she reprised her role of Nannetta in Falstaff under the baton of Maestro Ari Pelto. She created the role of Mrs. Soep and covered Ina Soep in the premiere of the opera Steal a Pencil for Me, with music by Gerald Cohen and libretto by Deborah Brevoort. Ms. Naghdi also performed the roles of Adina in The Elixir of Love and Clorinda in Cinderella (touring productions) and covered the role of Musetta in La bohème with Opera Colorado. Recently, Ms. Naghdi returned to Arizona Opera and performed the roles of Pamina and 1st Lady in The Mini-Magic Flute (touring production). She also debuted the role of Tormentilla in a concert version of The Poisoned Kiss (Vaughan Williams) with Passion Project: Opera! Canceled engagements due to Covid-19 include performing as the Soprano Soloist in excerpts from Mozart’s Requiem, and performing The Foreign Princess in Rusalka with Promenade Opera Project as well as in POP’s Annual Gala.

Past seasons have seen Ms. Naghdi in the titular role of The Littlest Mermaid (touring) with Arizona Opera. She also performed a concert version of Brundibár as Sparrow and Baker with Arizona Opera. A frequent interpreter of new works, Ms. Naghdi premiered indigenous micro-operas and art songs with Arizona Opera and the Grand Canyon Music Festival. She created the titular role in the premiere of the chamber opera Mignon with Arizona Chamber Opera. Ms. Naghdi made her debut as Amy March in Little Women with Nightingale Opera Theatre. She has also portrayed Suor Genovieffa in Suor Angelica and Solo Angel in Die Jungfrau von Orléans with the Mittelsächsisches Theater and Philharmonic, conducted by Maestro Jan Horstmann in Germany. Ms. Naghdi has also performed the titular role in Amelia al ballo and Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, among others.

An avid musical theater performer, Ms. Naghdi performed the role of Liat with Annapolis Opera in their production of South Pacific. She created the role of Lady Helen in the premiere of the musical Spellbound! with Southwest Shakespeare Company. Ms. Naghdi also created the role of Diane Slawyer in the premiere of the musical Endangered! at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Additionally, she has portrayed Christine Daaé in scenes from The Phantom of the Opera at galas with both Arizona Opera and the Pocono Mountains Music Festival. As an experienced concert soloist, Ms. Naghdi was the Soprano Soloist in excerpts from Messiah as well as the Soprano Soloist in Rutter's Magnificat with the Valley Presbyterian Church Concert Series. She performed as a soloist with the Washington Women’s Chorus Concert Series at the Strathmore Music Center. Additionally, Ms. Naghdi has been the Soprano Soloist in Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols, for Bach cantata Der Herr denket an uns, BWV 196, and with the Mittelsächsisches Theater and Philharmonic for their Bergstadtfest Concert. She has been presented in recitals with themes of the artist’s life, the exploration of language, cabaret repertoire, Halloween, and music spanning her career.

Ms. Naghdi has received the Opportunity Fund from the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture. She has been awarded by the Dorothy Lincoln Smith Voice Competition, The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston, and won Second Place in The American Prize in Vocal Performance (Opera, University Division). Ms. Naghdi holds a Master of Music in Opera Performance from Arizona State University and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University.

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