ABOUT MARISSA

 Originally from Chicago, Marissa Simmons is a contralto/low mezzo noted for her “deep, evenly produced mezzo and theatrical magnetism” (South Florida Classical Review). She is also distinguished by her “comic precision” (San Francisco Examiner) and praised as “una formidable” (Especial/El Nuevo Herald).

Simmons earned a Master of Music under Catherine Cook at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She received her Bachelor of Music in both Classical Voice Performance and Music Theory and Composition from the University of Miami Frost School of Music with Dr. Esther Jane Hardenbergh and Dr. Lansing McLoskey.

Simmons was also chosen to sing the full role of Roane Heckle in the full workshop premiere of Jake Heggie’s new opera, Great Scott, alongside world-renowned Frederica von Stade.

Recently, Simmons has sung with prestigious companies such as the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Virginia Opera, the Virginia Arts Festival, Des Moines Metro Opera, Music Academy of the West, Charlottesville Opera, Miami Lyric Opera, the Miami Music Festival, the International Vocal Arts Academy, and more.

Simmons’ full performed roles include Dinah (Trouble in Tahiti), Pinocchio (Pinocchio), Prudence (Dust of the Road), Miss Todd (Old Maid and the Thief), Carmen (La tragédie de Carmen), Tisbe (La Cenerentola), Nerone & Ottone (L’incoronazione di Poppea), Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro), Maria Callas (Jackie O), La Zelatrice & La Maestra delle Novizie (Suor Angelica), Roane Heckle (Great Scott), Dritte Knabe (Die Zauberflöte), and Soap Opera Director in the world premiere of Entanglements by Charles Mason.

In 2024, Simmons will sing in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s productions of Der Fliegende Holländer and Aida.

COMPOSITION & NEW MUSIC

Not only is she an up-and-coming opera singer, but Simmons is also an emerging composer. Simmons studied music theory and composition at the Frost School of Music under Dr. Lansing McLoskey. She is known for her diverse compositional portfolio and unique compositional voice. She has taken inspiration from great composers such as Dmitri Shostakovich, Jake Heggie, and Edward Grieg. She conducted the world premiere of one of her orchestral compositions in Austria at age 15. As an active performer and composer, Simmons loves to collaborate on new works. She is passionate about bringing new music to the stage and making it more accessible. After all, even Mozart’s music was once “new music.” Most recently, Paradox Opera premiered Marissa’s newly commissioned composition, “An Open Letter to Samuel Alito: Lament of the Choiceless” as part of their production, Autonomy, in response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.