Rena Harms

Praised by the San Francisco Chronicle for a “winningly liquid” voice as well as for her “dramatic vividness and vocal flourish,” Santa Fe native Rena Harms recently brought her signature role of Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly to productions at English National Opera, Arizona Opera, and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. In the 2022-23 season, she made a role and company debut as the Stepmother in Alma Deutscher’s Cinderella with Opera San Jose. The artist returns to OSJ for Tosca. During the pandemic, Ms. Harms joined Avaloch Farms as an artist-in-residence, culminating in a 2020 recital tour. Recent performances include the Grand Théâtre de Genève for Wagner’s Ring cycle, covering the title role in Korngold’s rarely performed opera Das Wunder der Heliane with Bard SummerScape, and a collaboration with Peter DiMuro’s Public Displays of Motion dance company for a site-specific performance with Now + There, as well as an appearance at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Her performance as Nell Gwynn in the regional premiere of Carlisle Floyd’s Prince of Players at Florentine Opera was recorded live for international release and received a Grammy nomination.

Ms. Harms’ “breathtaking intensity” (NDR Kultur) was on display in her French debut as Amelia in Simon Boccanegra at Opéra National de Bordeaux, and her Florentine Opera debut as Beatrice in Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers. She also reprised her interpretation of Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni at Opera Santa Barbara, a role she has performed in Milwaukee, Basel, and San Francisco.

Ms. Harms joined the Seattle Symphony as the soprano soloist for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, the Seattle Chamber Music Festival and Opera America for their New Works Sampler, and Seattle Opera for Don Giovanni. She has appeared as Helmwige in Die Walküre with the Grand Théâtre de Genève, Desdemona in Otello with the Oldenburgishes Staatstheater, and as the title role in Sigfried Matthus’ Judith with Staatstheater Braunschweig and Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg. Additional credits include the Baden-Baden Festspielhaus covering Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Florentine Opera as Micaëla in Carmen and Liù in Turandot, and Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte for Staatstheater Braunschweig. She sang the title role of Fibich’s Sárka, Marenka in The Bartered Bride, and Contessa in Le nozze di Figaro, all in new productions with Staatstheater Braunschweig.


February 2023

 

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