Praised for her lovely lyric voice radiating a vulnerable and emotional aura, versatile American soprano Michelle DeCoste has distinguished herself in lyric and verismo roles. Recently Michelle made her Southern Vermont Lyric Theatre debut as Violetta in La Traviata. Other engagements include One World Symphony as Desdemona in Otello under conductor Sung Jin Hong. Additional performances include Mimi in La Boheme, Madame Lidoine in Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmelites and the title role in Puccini's Suor Angelica. Michelle has also appeared as Marguerite in Faust (Berkshires, NY with the Albany Symphony), Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, Norina in Don Pasquale (Amalfi Coast Music & Arts Festival, Maiori, Italy), Zerlina in Don Giovanni (Ravello Concert Society, Ravello, Italy) and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with the Martina Arroyo program.
As a concert soloist, Ms. DeCoste has appeared in recital with conductors Joshua Greene, Mark Kruczek and Douglas Martin. She has performed as soprano soloist in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, Poulenc’s Gloria, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Handel's Messiah and Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Ms. DeCoste was invited as a guest artist at Merkin Concert Hall in New York premiering composer Jed Feuer's Orchestral Suite and Two Songs for Soprano.
Ms. DeCoste is a graduate from the Ithaca College School of Music where she performed the role of Adele in Die Fledermaus and was praised for her "shining acting" and "superb voice." This season's engagements include a debut with Bennington County Choral Society where she will sing the role of Glauce in Luigi Cherubini's Medea.