Mezzo-Soprano Susan Nicely is known for her rich voice and vivid characterizations. Her highly acclaimed “lively comic presence” in roles such as Dame Marthe in Faust, Old Lady in Candide, and Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro, as well as dramatic portrayals in Cavalleria Rusticana as Mamma Lucia and The Ballad of Baby Doe as Mama McCourt make the character mezzo an “audience darling,” says the Austin American-Statesman. In the 2009-2010 season and beyond, performances include Gertrude in Roméo et Juliette with the New Orleans Opera, Housekeeper in Man of La Mancha at the Shreveport Opera, Berta in Il Barbiere di Siviglia in concert with the Helena Symphony, the Nurse in Boris Godunov at the Dallas Opera, and Katasha in The Mikado with the Indianapolis Opera.

Most recent engagements from the past few seasons include Mary in The Flying Dutchman and Thelma Predmore in Cold Sassy Tree with the Atlanta Opera; Emma Jones in Street Scene and Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro with Chautauqua Opera; a return to New York City Opera as Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana; Berta in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Atlanta Opera and Opera Omaha; Gertrude in Roméo et Juliette with Opera Grand Rapids; Marquise de Berkenfeld in La Fille du Régiment with Florentine Opera; Annina in La Traviata with Atlanta Opera and Opera Pacific; Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana, Hannah in Maria Stuarda and Tisbe in La Cenerentola with Dallas Opera; and Dame Marthe in Faust with Palm Beach Opera.

Ms. Nicely made her European debut in Strasbourg, France in the role of Mary with Opera du Rhine’s production of Der Fliegende Holländer and her debut in South America as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd with Opera Breve in Caracas, Venezuela. Other acclaimed previous engagements include Mother Goose in The Rake’s Progress with San Francisco Opera, Berta in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with New York City Opera, Marthe in Faust with Houston Grand Opera, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor with Dallas Opera, Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro with Cincinnati Opera, The Old Lady in Candide with Austin Lyric Opera, the Witch in Hänsel und Gretel with Chicago Opera Theatre, Dame Quickly in Falstaff with Chautauqua Opera, Katasha in The Mikado with Portland Opera, and Little Buttercup in H.M.S. Pinafore with Opera Cleveland.

Orchestral appearances include concerts with the Milwaukee Symphony, Charleston Symphony, Grant Park Symphony of Chicago, Wheeling Symphony, Des Moines Symphony, and the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra.