Brenda Rae

SEASON 26/27

We keep growing, we keep showing up, we keep embracing change.

I’m so excited for this upcoming season, which is a beautiful mix of the old and the new. ✨

OPERA

Aspasia - Mitridate, Re di Ponto
Opera Philadelphia
September

Salome - Salome
SEATTLE OPERA
October

Konstanze - Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Staatsoper Unter den Linden
January/February

Odette Kahn - The Judgement of Paris (Heggie)
Opéra Royal du Château de Versailles
April

La Princesse - Orphée (Glass)
Des Moines Metro Opera
July

CONCERT

F***y Mendelssohn-Hensel Oratorium
Gulbenkian
November

Macmillan Christmas Oratorio
Münchner Rundfunkorchester
November

Ein Deutsches Requiem and Mozart Concert Arias
Tucson Symphony Orchestra
February

Lulu Suite
Bielefelder Philharmoniker
April

📸: Gillian Riesen / Buffalo wedding photographer

In a shocking departure from my usual stance on reviews, I’m actually sharing some before I bid farewell to the 25/26 season! It was personally a difficult season, with the passing of my mother, and sometimes it’s just nice to read nice things about the work one has done, you know? 😌 So please excuse this indulgence, and yes, I will announce my upcoming season very soon, I promise!!!

1: Madama Cortese (Il Viaggio a Reims) at Opera Philadelphia , 📸: Steven Pisano

2: Petra (Enemigo del Pueblo) at Les Arts, València and Teatro Real, 📸: arts fotografia

3: Marie (Daughter of the Regiment) at Boston Lyric Opera, 📸: Nile Hawver/Nile Scott Studios

4: Aminta (Die Schweigsame Frau) at Staatsoper Unter den Linden, 📸: Bernd Uhlig

5: Soprano Solo, Journalist, and Janet (200 Motels) at Grand Théâtre de Genève, 📸: Magali Dougados

6: Odette Kahn (The Judgement of Paris) at Festival Napa Valley

200 Motels at Grand Théâtre de Genève. We closed two weeks ago and I’m in a very different theatrical world in Napa Valley now, but I just had to share these photos.

The fever dream team:

Director: Daniel Kramer
Set: Carlos Soto
Costumes: Shalva Nikvashvili შალვა ნიკვაშვილი
Lighting: Peter Mumford
Video: Sophie Lux

📸©️ GTG/.dougados.photographies

Time to get down and dirty at Grand Théâtre de Genève with Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels! This production has challenged me in new ways, and I’m so grateful to the amazing cast - I think we can only go so far because we have each other’s backs 💯.

Thank you Daniel Kramer for guiding us through this insane circus with your purposeful vision. This piece has become so much more because of you. 💙

So many people have worked so hard to put this show together - Shalva Nikvashvili შალვა ნიკვაშვილი’s mind-blowing costumes (I have yet another costume not pictured here!!), the outstanding HUGE group of musicians led by Titus Engel, sets, acrobats, video, CHORUS!!!, props, hair and makeup, sound - this show is a SPECTACLE!!

TOI TOI TOI TO ALL!!! Now let’s just hope we don’t melt in this crazy heat! 🥵

I’ve been pretty bad at keeping the world updated on what I’m doing lately, but I HAVE to share some very exciting news: this coming July, I’ll be singing in the world premiere of and .scheer’s new opera, The Judgement of Paris at !!! I’ll be singing the role of Odette Kahn, the famed wine authority, and Jake has written a fabulous mad scene for me, which will be the first time I’ve gone mad for wine. 😜 The cast is incredible, and I can’t wait to create something brand new with everyone!

📸: .cook.photography

ENEMIGO DEL PUEBLO

Today we bring composer .collgarcia and librettist/director ’s brilliant new opera to the in Madrid. It’s a real privilege to get to perform this opera again, so close to when we premiered it. I hope we have many more chances!!

Toi toi toi to my absolutely wonderful colleagues! 😘

musicus

🚨🚨🚨BIG ANNOUNCEMENT TIME🚨🚨🚨

just announced their 26/27 season and I’m debuting the role of SALOME with them.

Okay. Okay okay OKAY!!!

A few years ago, colleagues of mine started asking, “hey… have you ever thought of singing Salome?” PSHHH HAHAHHA I laughed! That’s crazy! … wasn’t it? But enough people kept asking, so I finally sat down with the score and after going through it all, I was like… oh… oh, this kinda feels right. Really right. 😳 And I got very excited about the idea. So, here I am, exploring new territory and THRILLED to be doing it in Seattle with the fabulous director and conducting, and a 🔥🔥🔥 cast.

Yeah. Somebody pinch me. I CAN’T WAIT!!!! And also omg am I really doing this??? 😂

📸: .cook.photography

Happy New Year!!! I’m looking to bring as much positivity and joy into 2026 as possible, and I can’t wait to connect with as many of you as I can.

I don’t know y’all, I think 2026 might be kinda wild.

🎊💙✨💙🎊

📸: .cook.photography

Find your light.

New portrait by .cook.photography. We had a seriously great session recently and I’ll be sharing more soon.

Sending light out to you all on this darkest day of the year. 💙✨💙

What a happy night, singing in Scotland again! The last time I was here was with the and it’s just so dreamy to be singing with the again! I have to say, Mozart’s Mass in C Minor is one of my all time favorite sings - does it get better than “Et incarnatus est”?!? Pure joy to perform with Maestro , , , , and the . 💙