Susanne Burgess

Susanne Burgess announced herself as a rising operatic star with her Summer 2025 performances of Norina in Don Pasqule for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Critics hailed her performances as “perfection incarnate” (Broadway World) and “one of the best witnessed on the company’s stage in years” (ReviewStl). For her performances, OTSL awarded her the Mabel Dorn Reeder Award.

Highlights of Burgess’s 2026-27 season include performances as Gilda in Rigoletto with Pittsburgh Opera, as Musetta in La bohème with Opera Omaha, and as Violetta in La traviata with both Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Charleston Opera Theater.

In the 2025-26 season, Burgess made a series of important company and role debuts, beginning with Florida Grand Opera’s production of Kevin Puts’ Silent Night, where she was heard as Anna Sørensen in Tomer Zvulun’s production. Additionally, Burgess took on the monumental Four Heroines in Offenbach Les contes d’Hoffmann for Florentine Opera, and debuted with Opera Philadelphia in the world premiere of Gregory Spears’ Sleepers Awake.

Additionally, in the 25-26 season, Burgess continues her association with The Metropolitan Opera, appearing as Frasquita in Carrie Cracknell’s production of Carmen. Having already sung over 20 performances at The Met, Burgess made her debut as Countess Ceprano in Rigoletto and was most recently heard as a Servant in Strauss’ Die Frau ohne Schatten.

Recent performances for Burgess include her debut in the title role of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor for Gulfshore Opera, Helena in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream for The Atlanta Opera and Des Moines Metro Opera, and appearances at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence as a member of their Académie, including performances with renowned conductor Emanuelle Haïm.

Burgess enjoys a special relationship with The Atlanta Opera, having been a Glenn Studio Artist. With the company, Burgess has been heard as Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Nedda in Pagliacci, and was a member of their “Reimagine Opera” series during the COVID-19 pandemic, singing Lucy Brown in The Threepenny Opera and covering the role of Micaëla in Carmen.

Frequently recognized by major competitions, she is a two-time district winner in the Laffont Competition, has appeared twice at the Tenor Viñas competition in Barcelona, and was awarded First Prize at the National Opera Association’s Argento Competition.