Praised by the Philadelphia Inquirer for her, “crystalline sound, perfectly true intonation, glowing warmth, and total presence” and named “remarkable, artistically mature … a singer to watch” by Opera News, American soprano Sarah Shafer actively appears on the leading operatic and concert stages of the world. The 2019-2020 season sees Sarah Shafer returning to Opera Philadelphia for Iris in Semele, Cupid in John Blow’s Venus and Adonis with Opera Lafayette and the roster of the Metropolitan Opera in Le nozze di Figaro. Continuing her thriving concert career, Ms. Shafer will appear with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra singing Mozart’s Exultate Jubilate and Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 with Nicola Luisotti, Schumann’s Das Paradies und die Pari with the Cincinnati Symphony, a concert entitled “Emerging Voices” with the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass with Omaha Symphony, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with the Spokane Symphony, and a world premiere work entitled Karkinos by Jacob Bancks with Quad City Symphony. Recital appearances include a collaboration with Martin Katz and the University Musical Society at University of Michigan presenting Hugo Wolf’s Mörike Lieder. Two recordings will be released: Poul Ruders’ The Thirteenth Child with Bridge Records, and with Naxos Records, Richard Danielpour’s Talking to Aphrodite.

In the 2018-2019 season, Sarah Shafer made her house and role debut as Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro with San Diego Opera, Virginia in Scarlatti’s La caduta de’ Decemviri at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, and appeared with Harrisburg Symphony singing Poulenc’s Gloria and Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5; Carmina Burana with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra conducted by Francesco Lecce-Chong, Handel’s cantata Aminta e Fillide, HWV 83 and Mozart’s Requiem, conducted by Jane Glover, with the Oregon Bach Festival, Bruckner’s Te Deum with the Indianapolis Symphony, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with Toledo Symphony, Mozart’s Requiem with Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the St. John Passion with Louisiana Philharmonic, and Shanan Estreicher’s Songs of Emily Dickinson with Chamber Orchestra of New York at Carnegie Hall. Recital work included a residency and performance with Chamber Music Sedona, lieder recitals with Chamber Music Society of Detroit and Spivey Hall with pianist Richard Goode, recitals in Palm Beach and New York City with Richard Stoltzman and Anna Polonsky, John Harbison’s monodrama IF as well as Schubert’s Der Hirt auf dem Felsen with Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and Five Borough Music Festival with Martin Katz.