Biography

Hailed as having a voice of “such strong presence and beauty of tone that she left one longing for more.” (Opera News), soprano Francesca Federico was born in Paris and is based in New York City. She is a Fulbright Scholar, and completed a performance residency in Ireland, focusing on the origins of Irish traditional music in 20th century English-language art song.

Projects this season include the title role of Strauss’s Salome with Heartbeat Opera; soloist in Mahler’s Symphony No.4 with the New York Session Symphony, and in Bach’s BWV 140 with the Hudson Chorale. Francesca will also release her debut album, Visions and Ecstasies, on Odradek Records, for which she was awarded a production grant from the Anna Sosenko Assist Trust.

Projects in the 2023-24 season included a return to Salt Marsh Opera as Nannetta in Verdi’s Falstaff; Anna di Resburgo (cover) in the modern premiere of Carolina Uccelli’s Anna di Resburgo with Teatro Nuovo; guest soloist with the Connecticut Choral Society in Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, Fauré’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah and Monteverdi’s Vespers; soloist in Mozart's Mass in C Minor with the Westchester Oratorio Society; soloist in Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore with the Hudson Chorale, and soloist in Douglas Knehans’ Backwards from Winter with Marshall Opera. She was a semi-finalist in the Opera Columbus Cooper-Bing Competition.

Engagements in the 2022-23 season included debuting at Carnegie Hall as soloist in John Rutter’s Requiem with the New England Symphonic Ensemble, conducted by Maestro Rutter himself; Eurydice in Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld with Opera Ithaca and Raylynmor Opera; Night in Overtone Industries’ Iceland; Marjorie in the premiere of Fizz & Ginger with The Curiosity Cabinet; and Soloist with the American Contemporary Music Ensemble at The Morgan Library, performing Ravel’s Chansons Madécasses and the premiere of Clarice Jensen’s Enheduanna.

Engagements in the 2021-22 season include Clorinda in Rossini’s La Cenerentola with Raylynmor Opera; Frasquita in Bizet’s Carmen with Salt Marsh Opera; La Donna in Zandonai’s Giulietta e Romeo with Teatro Grattacielo, and Sor Andrea in the East Coast premiere of Carla Lucero’s Juana with dell’Arte Opera. In concert, she was Soprano Soloist in Bach’s Magnificat and Britten’s Ceremony of Carols with Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. Her voice appeared as the Soloist in Brian K. Bowers’ short film Reverie (WINNER: New Creators Film Award, 'Best Original Music'), and she also appeared on Clarice Jensen’s album Esthesis.

Francesca made her European debut in 2020 with Wexford Festival Opera, performing the role of Alice Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff as a member of their inaugural Young Artist division, The Wexford Factory. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, she appeared with the Children’s Philharmonic of New Jersey, as Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, and was named a finalist in the Vermont Vocal competition and The American Prize competition.

Other career highlights include her debut at the Rose Theater at Lincoln Center with the Teatro Nuovo bel canto festival under the baton of Maestro Will Crutchfield, covering the role of Ninetta in Rossini’s La gazza ladra, and joining their production of Bellini’s La Straniera; creating the role of “Lyric Soprano/Naftalina” in the world premiere of Constantin Basica’s Knot an Opera! with Fresh Squeezed Opera; Anna Gomez in Menotti’s The Consul with Bronx Opera, winner of a grant from the Anna Sosenko Assist Trust, and finalist for a Career Bridges grant.

Francesca received a Masters Degree in Vocal Performance at the Mannes School of Music, studying under Bonnie Hamilton. She completed her undergraduate degree in Global Politics at New York University. She currently studies with Mark Schnaible in New York.