Rosa Maria Pascarella, Mezzo-soprano

 Mezzo-Soprano, Rosa Maria Pascarella, a native of Branford, CT, is making a name for herself in the world of concert and opera.  She recently returned from Akron Lyric Opera Theater where she performed Suzuki in Madama Butterfly.  Earlier this season, she had much success as Isabella in L'italiana in Algeri with Opera Theater of Connecticut and as Zerlina in an award winning Don Giovanni with Lyric Opera Cleveland.  She was seen as Hansel in Hansel and Gretel with Opera Theater of Connecticut and as Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte with Sarasota Opera.  Last fall, Ms. Pascarella made her debut at Avery Fisher Hall as Mother Goose in Babes in Toyland with The Little Orchestra Society.  She also debuted with Singing Star Opera as Lola in Cavalleria Rusitcana.  Last season, she performed Suzuki, in Madama Butterfly with Chicago Opera Studio, as well as two of Tossini's great heroines, Isabella in L'italiana in Algeri with Opera Theater of Connecticut and Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Bronx Opera.  She also participated in the celebration of the centennial of Verdi's death, performing songs by Verdi in a "Celebration of Song" in New York City.  Ms. Pascarella sang her first Rosina with Sarasota Opera, where she made her debut, singing Rusalka in Rimsky-Korsakov's rarely heard May Night.  She has also sung Giovanna in Rigoletto with Chicago Opera Theater as the Last Draftsman in Daron Aric Hagen's The Shining Brow.  Other roles the Mezzo has sung include, Second Lady in The Magic Flute, Queen of the Fairies in Iolanthe, Micklausse, in Les Contes d'Hoffman, L'Enfant, in L'enfant et les sortileges, and Aita in Gianni Schicchi.

Ms. Pascarella also has extensive concert experience, including Vivaldi's Gloria, La Regata Veneziana, Jeptha and as soloist in the Messiah, in multiple venues.  After a joint recital with her husband, tenor, Matthew Polenzani in MA this past March, Rosa and Matthew have had many invitations for future recitals, including a concert in Warren, Ohio with the Warren Philharmonic Orchestra.  Upcoming for the Mezzo is Maddalena in Rigoletto with Opera Theater of Connecticut and a return engagement with Columbia Pro Cantare as the alto soloist in Handel's Messiah.  She now makes her home in New York, where she studies with Laura Brooks Rice.