Photo by Emma Foroutan
After performing the role of Marcello in La Femme Boheme with Marble City Opera in an all female version of Puccini's classic in 2015 and Brahms' Alto Rhapsodie with Georgia Tech in 2016, lyric mezzo-soprano Sarah Klopfenstein focused her energy on teaching and family. Last year, she has jumped back into performing full-force and started 2019 strong with three operas in the Boston Metro area (Mrecedes with Commonwealth Lyric Theater's Carmen, Spirit and Dorothee with Opera del West's Cendrillon, and Mrs. Nolan with Corsara Artist Ensemble's Halloween event The Medium). In December she joined Eureka Ensemble in Boston as the alto soloist for a unique Spanish version of Handel's Messiah. This year, she made her debut with St. Petersburg Opera in Florida as Countess Ceprano in Rigoletto and this spring debuts with New Century Opera in the role of Pauline in Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades.
Sarah has appeared with numerous opera companies and orchestras including Nashville Opera, Kentucky Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Opera New Jersey, Bluegrass Opera, Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, Lexington Philharmonic, and the Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra.
With the Bluegrass Opera, Sarah premiered Angela Rice's oratorio, Thy Will Be Done in the role of the Narrator. Dr. Klopfenstein sang the role of Dorabella with the Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra in 2014. She has been invited twice as a guest soloist with the TCU Symphony Orchestra (Alexander Nevsky and Beethoven's 9th Symphony) for concerts at Bass Hall.
Sarah debuted with Nashville Opera in the role of Hansel in Hansel and Gretel as well as with Opera New Jersey in the role of Marthe in Gounod's masterpiece, Faust. As a resident artist with Kentucky Opera, Ms. Klopfenstein performed the roles of Flora in La Traviata, Sandman in Hansel and Gretel, scenes from Carmen (in French) in How Opera Works: Carmen and Tamara in Ben Moore’s new opera Enemies: A Love Story as part of a composer workshop performance. She also performed Suzuki in Madama Butterfly in collaboration with the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra. In addition, she covered the role of Hansel for Kentucky Opera’s production of Hansel and Gretel.
Dr. Klopfenstein appeared with Cincinnati Opera as one of the six-member “Niñas” ensemble in Osvaldo Golijov’s Ainadamar. This was preceded by an energized appearance as Anita in scenes from Bernstein’s West Side Story in a concert with the Cincinnati Symphony. She has been featured in many productions with the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre, including Meg Page in Falstaff, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Flora in La Traviata, Mercedes in Carmen, Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor, as well as the role of Lucy Perez in the world premiere of Thomas Pasatieri’s The Hotel Casablanca. As a member of the Intermezzo Opera Young Artist Program, Ms. Klopfenstein performed the roles of Dritte Dame in Die Zauberflöte and Suor Dolcina in Puccini’s Suor Angelica.
Her concert and oratorio work includes several appearances as the Alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah in Texas and Kentucky. She performed as Alto soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with the Maysville (KY) Festival Chorus. Ms. Klopfenstein has also been seen as Alto soloist in Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Dvorak’s Stabat Mater, Durufle’s Requiem, and J.S. Bach’s Magnificat.
Dr. Klopfenstein is a one-time semifinalist and three-time finalist in the NATS competition and an AIMS Meistersinger Vocal Competition semifinalist. Recently, she was a semifinalist in the Orpheus Vocal Competition and a finalist in the Lexington Bach Society Oratorio Competition. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, and also earned Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Vocal Performance from the University of Kentucky, where she studied with Dr. Everett McCorvey. Sarah resides in Tampa, Florida.
Sarah has appeared with numerous opera companies and orchestras including Nashville Opera, Kentucky Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Opera New Jersey, Bluegrass Opera, Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, Lexington Philharmonic, and the Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra.
With the Bluegrass Opera, Sarah premiered Angela Rice's oratorio, Thy Will Be Done in the role of the Narrator. Dr. Klopfenstein sang the role of Dorabella with the Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra in 2014. She has been invited twice as a guest soloist with the TCU Symphony Orchestra (Alexander Nevsky and Beethoven's 9th Symphony) for concerts at Bass Hall.
Sarah debuted with Nashville Opera in the role of Hansel in Hansel and Gretel as well as with Opera New Jersey in the role of Marthe in Gounod's masterpiece, Faust. As a resident artist with Kentucky Opera, Ms. Klopfenstein performed the roles of Flora in La Traviata, Sandman in Hansel and Gretel, scenes from Carmen (in French) in How Opera Works: Carmen and Tamara in Ben Moore’s new opera Enemies: A Love Story as part of a composer workshop performance. She also performed Suzuki in Madama Butterfly in collaboration with the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra. In addition, she covered the role of Hansel for Kentucky Opera’s production of Hansel and Gretel.
Dr. Klopfenstein appeared with Cincinnati Opera as one of the six-member “Niñas” ensemble in Osvaldo Golijov’s Ainadamar. This was preceded by an energized appearance as Anita in scenes from Bernstein’s West Side Story in a concert with the Cincinnati Symphony. She has been featured in many productions with the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre, including Meg Page in Falstaff, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Flora in La Traviata, Mercedes in Carmen, Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor, as well as the role of Lucy Perez in the world premiere of Thomas Pasatieri’s The Hotel Casablanca. As a member of the Intermezzo Opera Young Artist Program, Ms. Klopfenstein performed the roles of Dritte Dame in Die Zauberflöte and Suor Dolcina in Puccini’s Suor Angelica.
Her concert and oratorio work includes several appearances as the Alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah in Texas and Kentucky. She performed as Alto soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with the Maysville (KY) Festival Chorus. Ms. Klopfenstein has also been seen as Alto soloist in Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Dvorak’s Stabat Mater, Durufle’s Requiem, and J.S. Bach’s Magnificat.
Dr. Klopfenstein is a one-time semifinalist and three-time finalist in the NATS competition and an AIMS Meistersinger Vocal Competition semifinalist. Recently, she was a semifinalist in the Orpheus Vocal Competition and a finalist in the Lexington Bach Society Oratorio Competition. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, and also earned Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Vocal Performance from the University of Kentucky, where she studied with Dr. Everett McCorvey. Sarah resides in Tampa, Florida.
Photo by Emma Foroutan