GABRIELLE BARKIDJIJA
mezzo-soprano
a little about gabrielle
Praised for her “coppery warm tone” (Classical Voice North America), mezzo-soprano Gabrielle Barkidjija is an accomplished performer on both the operatic and concert stages. Gabrielle recently earned critical acclaim for her portrayal of Dodo in Detroit Opera's Breaking the Waves and made her Carnegie Hall Debut as the mezzo-soprano soloist in the world premiere of Daron Hagen’s Everyone, Everywhere with the Cecilia Chorus of New York. This winter, she will be a Studio Artist with Sarasota Opera, covering Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia and singing Dorotea in Stiffelio. She will also perform Copland’s In the Beginning as the mezzo-soprano soloist with Cantori NY. She has been a resident artist with Carnegie Hall SongStudio, Detroit Opera, Merola Opera, Aspen Opera, Central City Opera, and Tanglewood, and has received scholarships and awards from many organizations, including the Rochester Oratorio Society, Gerda Lissner Foundation, and Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
UPCOMING EVENTS
This season, Gabrielle will perform as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Aaron Copland’s In The Beginning with Cantori New York under the baton of Mark Shapiro. She will perform this piece at the Church of the Holy Apostles in November, as well as at Lincoln Center’s Merkin Hall in May. This winter, Gabrielle will be a Studio Artist with the Sarasota Opera program. At Sarasota Opera, she will cover the role of Rosina in Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia (which has been a dream role of hers since she began studying opera), sing the role of Dorotea in Verdi’s Stiffelio, sing in the ensemble of Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana, and perform in several concerts.
“Gabrielle Barkidjija created a stalwart, open-hearted Dodo, Bess’ only friend, with her coppery warm tone and realistic characterization. Barkidjija’s luscious vocal color anchored her lines as islands of humanity in the second half’s tornado of musical terror.”
Classical Voice North America
“Whether as a seductively diabolical dominatrix or a Brooklynese-spouting hairstylist, in any of her morphing personae, Gabrielle Barkidjija made herself riveting on stage and sang with damnable commitment and satisfying vocal chops.”
Boston Musical Intelligencer
In case you were wondering…
Barkidjija is pronounced (bar-ki-jee-yuh): it’s an atypical Croatian surname. My father is Croatian and my mother is half-Palestinian and half-British. I feel fortunate that my childhood was heavily influenced by Croatian, Palestinian, and British cultures. My heritage will always inform who I am as a person and as an artist.