Suzanna Guzmán

Suzanna Guzmán, mezzo soprano of the Los Angeles Opera, has appeared as a principal artist with many international opera companies including the Metropolitan Opera, Houston Grand, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Kennedy Center, Edinburough, Dresden Opera, Opera de Nice, Grand Theatre de Geneve to name a few. TIME Magazine called her “a fire-eating singing actress” for her portrayal of her signature role, CARMEN, in the critically acclaimed Multimedia Houston Grand Opera production. New York Times said: “Suzanna Guzman is a rarity. She is a mezzo-soprano who does not sound like an undeveloped soprano. Her low notes are real, strong and dark colored.”
She was the first recipient of the Plácido Domingo Award in 1997, won a nomination for a Helen Hayes Outstanding Lead Actress Award for her portrayal of the Mother in Menotti’s AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS, was one of the Miller Company’s 1998 Twelve Outstanding Latinos in Music in America and spotlighted by PEOPLE MAGAZINE in their Silver Millennium Issue as a “triunfadora”. She was a National Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Competition in 1985, as well as first place in the San Francisco Opera, Guild Opera, Center for Contemporary Opera.

Known for theatrical prowess, Ms. Guzmán made a name in the creation of many new roles including Mrs. Fox in Tobias Picker’s FANTASTIC MR.FOX, Paula in Daniél Catán’s FLORENCIA EN EL AMAZONAS, La Mulatta and the Narrator in Lee Holdridge’s JOURNEY TO CORDOBA and CONCIERTO PARA MENDEZ, Leocadia in GOYA by the great Giancarlo Menotti. She has worked with such legends as Robert Wilson, Franco Zeffirelli, Henry Lewis, James Levine, Rod McKuen, Christian Badea, Eduordo Muller, Michael Hampe, Yul Brynner, Francesca Zambello, Julius Rudel, Charles Nelson Reilly, Oz Scott, among many others.

Recent CD releases include the original cast recording of FLORENCIA EN EL AMAZONAS, the title track of AMOR DE LOS AMORES, the Debussy Trio’s THREE FRIENDS which features Ms. Guzmán in works by Ian Krouse based on the texts of García Lorca, and on the 2006 nominated GRAMMY ® and Latin Grammy® Best Classical CD, Carlos Chavez Volume 3 with Southwest Chamber Music, soprano Alba Quezada and Tambuco Percussion Ensemble of Mexico.

In addition to main stage performing, Ms. Guzmán is a fierce advocate of arts in education serving on the Boards of UCLA’S Design for Sharing, the Pasadena Arts Council and as vice chair of Discover the Arts for the new performing arts high school in downtown Los Angeles. The 2007-08 season Suzanna is Artist in Residence with the California Philharmonic. She continues to appear on the Music Center Education Division Roster performing her award winning one woman show, DON’T BE AFRAID: IT’S JUST OPERA throughout inner city schools nationwide. To date she performed for over 200,000 students. Recent appearances include recitals at Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles with the Los Angeles Master Chorale in a world premiere by Cliff Eidelman, Julie in SHOWBOAT at the Ambassador Auditorium with California Philharmonic, with Plácido Domingo at the Kennedy Center in LUISA FERNANDA, as Marcellina in Austin Lyric Opera’s production of MARRIAGE OF FIGARO, Despina with Hawaii Opera Theater and in the Santa Fe Opera’s AINADAMAR Festival in CANTA EL CUENTO: Music, Passion and Lorca. She guest starred on the popular television show CSI-New York in a scene from Puccini’s MADAMA BUTTERFLY and looks forward to future engagements with Los Angeles Opera, the Los Angeles Children’s Choir,Dallas Opera, Orlando Opera, Toledo Symphony and the return of her radio show OPEN ROAD OPERA. Ms. Guzman resides in Southern California with her teenage son, Conor.