From: Chicago, Illinois. LA Opera: Musetta in La Boheme (2007, debut); Mary in Highway 1, USA (2024).

Praised by the Houston Chronicle for her “warm supple soprano” and by the New York Times for her “radiant” and “handsomely resonant voice,” soprano Nicole Heaston has appeared with opera companies throughout the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, Houston Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera, Dallas Opera, Washington National Opera, Semperoper Dresden, Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf, and the Glyndebourne Festival in England.

Ms. Heaston began the 2022/23 season with the long-awaited world premiere of Mazzoli/Vavrek’s The Listeners at Den Norkse Opera, in which she sings the central role of Claire Devon. She sang Amore in a new production of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice with San Francisco Opera, later returning to the city for her role debut as Melissa in Handel’s Amadigidi Gaula with Philharmonia Baroque, and performing the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro with Houston Grand Opera.

The soprano’s 2021/22 season included returns to San Francisco Opera, making a role debut as Despina in Così fan tutte, and Houston Grand Opera, singing the role of Liù in Turandot. She sings further performances of Liù with Maryland Lyric Opera, performed in “The Majesty of the Spiritual” at Aurora College, and joined the Houston Ballet, singing songs by Joseph Canteloube on their Jubilee of Dance program. 

In the 2020/21 season, her close collaboration with Houston Grand Opera continued, singing Yolanda Cantrell in Jim Luigs’ reimagined The Impresario and Sir Elton John’s Trainer in David T. Little and Royce Vavrek’s chamber opera Vinkensport. She co-hosted Giving Voice with Lawrence Brownlee, and presented a recital with Richard Bado as part of the Live from the Cullen recital series, all presented as part of Houston Grand Opera’s re-imagined digital season. Further showcasing her versatility, she created the Purple Robe Series, featuring songs from a large variety of genres including opera, R&B, gospel, rap, and musical theater. The series went viral, especially for its episode honoring Juneteenth featuring Lift Every Voice and Sing as arranged by Roland Carter and performed by a chorus of outstanding Black opera singers.  

Learn more at NicoleHeaston.com.