Jessica Rivera
Encyclopedia
Jessica Rivera is an American
soprano
of Peruvian ancestry. She is a 1996 graduate of Pepperdine University
, and earned her Master of Music degree in 1998 from the University of Southern California
's Flora L. Thornton School of Music
. Rivera's early work included singing in the chorus of Los Angeles Opera
(LA Opera).
Rivera has become particularly known for her performances of the music of contemporary composers, such as John Adams and Osvaldo Golijov
. At LA Opera, she sang the role of Anastasia in the 2003 world premiere of Deborah Drattell
's opera Nicholas and Alexandra. Her Santa Fe Opera
debut in 2005 was as Nuria in the revised edition of Golijov's Ainadamar
. She sang on the subsequent Deutsche Grammophon
recording of the opera.
For his opera Doctor Atomic
, Adams rewrote the role of Kitty Oppenheimer, originally a mezzo-soprano role, for soprano voice, and Rivera sang the rewritten part of Kitty Oppenheimer at Lyric Opera of Chicago
, De Nederlandse Opera
, and the Metropolitan Opera
., all in 2007. She has since sung several parts and roles in John Adams' works, including the soprano part in El Niño, and the role of Kumudha in A Flowering Tree
in the Peter Sellars
production at the New Crowned Hope Festival in Vienna
. In the spring of 2012, Rivera will sing the solo role in the world premiere of a new work by Latin Grammy composer (and fellow Peruvian-American) Gabriela Lena Frank
with the San Francisco Girls Chorus and the Berkeley Symphony under the baton of Joana Carneiro
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
of Peruvian ancestry. She is a 1996 graduate of Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
, and earned her Master of Music degree in 1998 from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
's Flora L. Thornton School of Music
USC Thornton School of Music
The University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, founded in 1884 and dedicated in 1999, is one of the premier music schools in the United States...
. Rivera's early work included singing in the chorus of Los Angeles Opera
Los Angeles Opera
The Los Angeles Opera is an opera company in Los Angeles, California. It is the fourth largest opera company in the United States. The company's home base is the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, part of the Los Angeles Music Center.-Current leadership:...
(LA Opera).
Rivera has become particularly known for her performances of the music of contemporary composers, such as John Adams and Osvaldo Golijov
Osvaldo Golijov
Osvaldo Noé Golijov is a Grammy award–winning composer of classical music.-Biography:Osvaldo Golijov was born in and grew up in La Plata, Argentina, in a Jewish family that had emigrated to Argentina in the 1920s from Romania and Russia.Golijov has developed a rich musical language, the result of...
. At LA Opera, she sang the role of Anastasia in the 2003 world premiere of Deborah Drattell
Deborah Drattell
Deborah Drattell is an American composer. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and started her career in music as a violinist. Her compositions have been performed by the New York Philharmonic, Orchestra of St. Luke's, the Tanglewood and Caramoor Music Festivals, and many other groups and venues...
's opera Nicholas and Alexandra. Her Santa Fe Opera
Santa Fe Opera
The Santa Fe Opera is an American opera company, located north of Santa Fe in the U.S. state of New Mexico, headquartered on a former guest ranch of .-General history:...
debut in 2005 was as Nuria in the revised edition of Golijov's Ainadamar
Ainadamar
Ainadamar means "Fountain of Tears" in Arabic, and is the first opera by Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov. The libretto is by American playwright David Henry Hwang. It premiered in Tanglewood on August 10, 2003. After major revisions, the new version premiered at the Santa Fe Opera on July 30,...
. She sang on the subsequent Deutsche Grammophon
Deutsche Grammophon
Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label which was the foundation of the future corporation to be known as PolyGram. It is now part of Universal Music Group since its acquisition and absorption of PolyGram in 1999, and it is also UMG's oldest active label...
recording of the opera.
For his opera Doctor Atomic
Doctor Atomic
Doctor Atomic is an opera by the contemporary American composer John Adams, with libretto by Peter Sellars. It premiered at the San Francisco Opera on 1 October 2005. The work focuses on the great stress and anxiety experienced by those at Los Alamos while the test of the first atomic bomb was...
, Adams rewrote the role of Kitty Oppenheimer, originally a mezzo-soprano role, for soprano voice, and Rivera sang the rewritten part of Kitty Oppenheimer at Lyric Opera of Chicago
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Lyric Opera of Chicago is one of the leading opera companies in the United States. It was founded in Chicago in 1952, under the name 'Lyric Theatre of Chicago' by Carol Fox, Nicolà Rescigno and Lawrence Kelly, with a season that included Maria Callas's American debut in Norma...
, De Nederlandse Opera
De Nederlandse Opera
De Nederlandse Opera , in Amsterdam, is a Dutch opera company based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its present home base is the Het Muziektheater, a modern building designed by Cees Dam which opened in 1986....
, and the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
., all in 2007. She has since sung several parts and roles in John Adams' works, including the soprano part in El Niño, and the role of Kumudha in A Flowering Tree
A Flowering Tree
A Flowering Tree is an opera in two acts composed by John Adams with libretto by Adams and Peter Sellars, and commissioned by the New Crowned Hope Festival in Vienna, the San Francisco Symphony, the Barbican Centre in London, the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, and the...
in the Peter Sellars
Peter Sellars
Peter Sellars is an American theatre director, noted for his unique contemporary stagings of classical and contemporary operas and plays...
production at the New Crowned Hope Festival in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. In the spring of 2012, Rivera will sing the solo role in the world premiere of a new work by Latin Grammy composer (and fellow Peruvian-American) Gabriela Lena Frank
Gabriela Lena Frank
Gabriela Lena Frank is an American composer of contemporary classical music and pianist.- Biography :...
with the San Francisco Girls Chorus and the Berkeley Symphony under the baton of Joana Carneiro
Joana Carneiro
Joana Carneiro , is a Portuguese conductor. She is the third of nine children of the former Portuguese minister of education Roberto Carneiro, and she is the niece of the Portuguese politician Adelino Amaro da Costa.As a youth, Carneiro played the viola...
.