For the past three years, Ms. Freeman, lyric soprano, has performed a variety of roles at Amato Opera Theatre, under the baton of Maestro Anthony Amato. For the 2005-2006 season she is scheduled to sing the First Lady in The Magic Flute, The High Priestess in Aida, Maritza in the Merry Widow, and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni. In previous seasons she sang Giannetta in L'Elisir d'Amore, Frasquita in Carmen, Marcellina in Le nozzi di Figaro, and covered Mimi and Musetta in La Bohème. Other performances include Violetta in La traviata, Desdemona in Otello, the title role in Tosca with Harlem Opera, and Echo in Ariadne auf Naxos with Liederkranz Opera. Ms. Freeman's prepared operatic repertoire is Liu in Turandot, Mimi and Musetta in La Bohème, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Micaëla in Carmen, Ilia in Idomeneo, and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni.
Ms. Freeman's orchestral repertoire includes Berlioz' Les nuits d'ete; Strauss' Four Last Songs; Barber's Knoxville Summer of 1915; Handel's Messiah; Fauré's Requiem; Bach Cantata BWV 202 Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten, Bach Cantata BWV 51 Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen!, Bach Matthäus-Passion BWV 244; Mozart concert opera: K. 528 "Bella mia fiamma...Resta, oh cara", Mozart's Exsultate jubilate; and Canteloube's Chants d'Auvergne.
Ms. Freeman completed her Masters of Music Degree at the Manhattan School of Music, where she studied voice with the late tenor Charles Bressler, opera with the late Lou Galterio, and coached with Gary Wedow, Nico Castel, and Dennis Helmrich.
Ms. Freeman completed her Bachelors of Music Degree at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where she studied voice with soprano Geraldine Martin, and was soloist and recording artist with the Conservatory Chorus and the Chamber Singers. She has sung in master classes with Eleanor Steber, Gerald Souzay, Hans Hotter, Martin Katz, Stephen Lord, Phyllis Curtain, Margo Garrett, and Terri Decima. Ms. Freeman has trained at such recognized vocal programs as the Blossom Music Festival and The Phyllis Curtain Seminar at Tanglewood.
A native of Virginia, Ms. Freeman is a graduate of the Duke Ellington High School of the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, where she studied voice with soprano Monica Otal. She was soprano soloist with the Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, and the DC Youth Chorale, under the direction of Mr. Edward Jackson.
Maria Freeman
In quali eccessi, o Numi...Mi tradi quell'alma ingrata by Mozart