A voice with an “appealing brew of dark and creamy colors” (New York Times), lirico-spinto soprano Keri Alkema has been praised for her “tonal opulence” (Washington Post) and “incisive musicality”. (New York Times)

In the 2016-2017 season, Keri Alkema makes a number of important debuts as Tosca: her London debut at the English National Opera, her German debut at Oper Frankfurt, and a return to the Canadian Opera Company. She also sings Verdi’s Messa da Requiem at home with the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra. Last season, returned to Opéra National de Bordeaux as Eboli in Don Carlo under Paul Daniel. She debuted at the Santa Fe Opera as Donna Elvira in a new production of Don Giovanni under John Nelson, as well as at Seattle Opera and Edmonton Opera as Elisabetta in Maria Stuarda. She recently made her French debut at Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse as Amelia in Un ballo in maschera under the baton of Daniel Oren with costumes by Christian Lacroix. She also sang her first performances of Madama Butterfly at Teatro Municipal de Santiago.

Ms. Alkema made her role debut as Elisabetta di Valois in Verdi’s Don Carlo at Austin Lyric Opera, as well as debuted at Opéra National de Bordeaux as Giovanna Seymour in Anna Bolena and as Mimì in La bohème at Palm Beach Opera. She returned Teatro Municipal de Santiago for her first performances as Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello and sang her first performances of the title role in Anna Bolena at Minnesota Opera, a role she also covered first at the Washington National Opera. She returned to the Canadian Opera Company in a much-acclaimed role debut as Vitellia in Christopher Alden’s production of La clemenza di Tito and also returned to New York City Opera where she was seen as Amaltea, the Pharaoh’s wife, in Rossini’s Mosè in Egitto at New York City Center. She has made a number of international debuts: Glyndebourne as Mimì in La bohème, Opera North in Leeds as Adalgisa in Christopher Alden’s new production of Norma, and the Canadian Opera Company as Giulietta in Les contes d’Hoffmann. She also debuted with the New York Philharmonic in the finale to Act One of Don Giovanni as Donna Elvira under music director Alan Gilbert. Other notable engagements include her appearances at Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville as Freia in Das Rheingold, Atlanta Opera as Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, and Teatro Municipal de Santiago as Amelia Grimaldi in Simon Boccanegra. Ms. Alkema made her soprano role debut to great critical acclaim as Donna Elvira in Christopher Alden’s production of Don Giovanni at the New York City Opera in which the New York Times praised her “compelling, rich-toned” performance.

Ms. Alkema has debuted on the concert stages of the Ravinia Festival with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Mahler’s Das klagende Lied and Cincinnati May Festival again in Das klagende Lied and also Haydn’s Heiligmesse - Missa Sancti Bernardi von Offida, both engagements under the baton of James Conlon, as well as with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni under Roberto Abbado. She was also heard as Adalgisa in the original two soprano version of Bellini’s masterpiece Norma at the Caramoor International Music Festival with Will Crutchfield. An active member of the roster of the Marilyn Horne Foundation, she also performed at the Marilyn Horne Foundation Annual Recital at Carnegie Hall. Ms. Alkema has worked with such notable conductors as Plácido Domingo, Emmanuel Villaume, Ricardo Frizza, Heinz Fricke, Antony Walker, and Ann Manson. A frequent recitalist, Ms. Alkema is currently on the roster of the Marilyn Horne Foundation, which sponsored her New York recital debut. She has done many residencies with the Foundation including recitals in Oberlin, Ohio, Winter Park, Florida, Brownville, Nebraska, and for the Art Song of Williamsburg concert series.

Ms. Alkema has been a member of several prestigious young artist programs including the Santa Fe Opera and the Music Academy of the West, under the tutelage of Marilyn Horne. She has also been the recipient of prizes from the George London Foundation, Opera Index Competition, Liederkranz Foundation, and Loren L. Zachary National Voice Competition.