Helen Hassinger, soprano

"Helen Hassinger, another Chautauqua Opera Young Artist, brought a bright tone and earnest acting style to the soprano role of Donna Anna..."
-THE CHAUTAUQUAN DAILY

"Throughout the role, Helen Hassinger (Helena, as Lucille Ball in a lime green ensemble) made elegant use of a voice that while traditionally a lighter voice than her counterparts, had no problem being heard; her acting abilities beat the band."
-THE BOSTON MUSICAL INTELLIGENCER

"From Zhou’s Madame White Snake, the titular character as sung by soprano Helen Hassinger gave voice...with rich sostenuto and remarkable command."
-THE BOSTON MUSICAL INTELLIGENCER

"Renowned soprano Helen Hassinger has created a crowd-funding page to send Simon Cowell, one of the judges, to the opera so that he can get better acquainted with the demands of the art form."
-THE ECONOMIST

BIO

Soprano Helen Hassinger's recent roles include Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Mélisande in Pelléas et Mélisande, the title role in Picker’s Emmeline, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Soprano II in Glass’ Hydrogen Jukebox, St. Francis' Trainer in Little’s Vinkensport...or the Finch Opera, Paul's Inner Voice in The War Reporter, and The Angel in Eotvos’ Angels in America.

In 2022, Ms. Hassinger placed third in the Classical Voice Division of the Music International Grand Prix Competition, was a Semi-Finalist in the Opera Tampa D'Angelo Vocal Competition, and placed third in the International Clara Schumann Competition. She was the featured soloist with the Hillyer Festival Orchestra at Salem, Massachusetts' Fourth of July Concert, and also performed in Seaglass Theater Company's Cape Cod concert series, Solstice.
Additional recent projects include premiering the role of Phebe Sherman in Jodi Goble's opera Whaling Women, as well as performing the Mayor in Promenade Opera Project's world premiere production of The Bedbug.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Hassinger was slated to reprise the roles of Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte with Opera Memphis and the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro with VOX New England, as well as Madeline in Fall of the House of Usher with Opera Maine. Instead, Ms. Hassinger served as a 2020 Handorf Company Artist with Opera Memphis, participating in over 20 outdoor concerts and virtual performances. She also made her directorial debut, directing a virtual production of Don Giovanni with Opera on the Rocks. She was also a semi-finalist in the 2021 Classical Singer Vocal Competition.

In 2019, Ms. Hassinger participated as a Fellowship Artist in Stephanie Blythe and Alan Smith’s Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar. Ms. Hassinger sang the role of Donna Anna in Chautauqua Opera's mainstage production of Don Giovanni with maestro Steven Osgood and director Ned Canty. Ms. Hassinger also performed Mélisande in director E. Loren Meeker's praised production of Pelléas et Mélisande with the Boston University Opera Institute, where she was the 2018 recipient of the Phyllis Curtin Award. A supporter of new works, she sang the role of Isabel in Conrad Cumming and Mark Campbell's partial workshop of their new opera, Again and Again, and Again.

Ms. Hassinger also spent the summer of 2017 at the Chautauqua Opera Company (Chautauqua, New York) as an Apprentice Artist, where she reprised the role of Soprano II in Hydrogen Jukebox and sang "Ninfa" and "Spirito" in the U.S. stage premiere of Respighi's orchestral arrangement of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo.

In 2016, Ms. Hassinger covered the title role in the Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Madame White Snake, as part of the Ouroboros Trilogy as presented by Beth Morrison Projects.

Ms. Hassinger has appeared as the soprano soloist for Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Rossen Milanov. In 2018, Ms. Hassinger was the soprano soloist in Beethoven's Missa solemnis with the Choral Society of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Recently, she sang the soprano solo in the world premiere of Chris LaRosa's work for choir, trombone choir, and organ, Joshua. Ms. Hassinger has also performed as a soloist with the Twin Cities Catholic Chorale, the Brookline United Parish Chancel Choir, and the Rochester Aria Group.

Musical theater credits include roles in Cabaret, The Light in the Piazza, A New Brain, Blood Brothers, Striking 12, and Sweet Charity.

She has performed with Theater Latté Da, Artistry Theater, the Minnesota Opera Chorus, University of Minnesota Opera Theater, The Institute of Bel Canto Studies, Opera Arriva, and the Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company.

Ms. Hassinger is a graduate of St. Olaf College (BA Music, Women's Studies) in Northfield, Minnesota and Boston University (MM Vocal Performance). In 2018 she received her Certificate in Opera Performance from the Boston University Opera Institute, where she studied with Lynn Eustis. Ms. Hassinger is also a classically trained violinist, formerly studying under Dr. Andrea Een (St. Olaf College) and Busya Lugovier (Viterbo University).