Performance Year: 2014
A shimmering soprano with enchanting stage presence, Heidi Grant Murphy is one of the outstanding vocal talents of her generation. She has appeared with many of the world’s finest opera companies and symphony orchestras, notably the Metropolitan Opera, Salzburg Festival, Frankfurt Opera, Netherlands Opera, Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, Opera National de Paris and Santa Fe Opera. She has been engaged as soloist with the Vienna, New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics; Cleveland, Philadelphia and Minnesota Orchestras; and Chicago, Boston, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Atlanta, Saint Louis, Cincinnati, Houston, Montreal, National and Dallas Symphonies.
Ms. Murphy’s nearly 25-year-long career with the Metropolitan Opera has seen her play such signature roles as Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Sister Constance in Dialogues of the Carmelites, Servilia in Clemenza di Tito and Nanetta in Falstaff. European highlights have included the roles of Anne Truelove in the Netherlands Opera production of The Rake’s Progress and Celia in Lucio Silla at both the Salzburg Festival and Frankfurt Opera; and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Adina in L’Elisir d’Amore and Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier at the Paris National Opera. Today, Ms. Murphy has established a reputation not only for her musicianship, impeccable vocal technique and youthful sound, but also for her warm personality and generosity of spirit.
Heidi Grant Murphy has recorded for Koch International, New World, the New York Philharmonic’s private label, Naxos, Arabesque, PS Classics, Delos and Deutsche Grammophon. In August 2011, she was appointed to the faculty of Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music as an adjunct professor of practice, teaching private voice lessons, diction and other courses and leading the opera scene programming. She has been a featured guest on NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered, A&E’s Breakfast with the Arts and BBC Radio 3. In October 2012, Ms. Murphy received an honorary doctorate from Western Washington University, where she pursued a bachelor’s degree in music performance. Ms. Murphy resides in Bloomington, Indiana with her husband, Kevin Murphy, and their four children.
