Irene Roberts’ 2012-13 continues to be a breakout season for the increasingly in-demand mezzo-soprano. She begins with a major milestone in the career of any young artist - her debut on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera. She appears in not one, but two operas there this season: the return of the beloved Jonathan Miller production of Le Nozze di Figaro, and the new production of Wagner's Parsifal, where she will appear alongside Jonas Kaufmann, René Pape and Peter Mattei under the baton of Daniele Gatti. Parsifal will also be part of the Met's 2012-13 Live in HD series, transmitting live performances from the Met into thousands of movie theaters worldwide. The northern-California native also makes a very special debut with San Francisco Opera in their new production of Les contes d'Hoffmann directed by Laurent Pelly. Other highlights of her season include her role and house debut as Cherubino with the Syracuse Opera and the cover of Suzy in La Rondine at the Met. ... read full bio

Irene Roberts’ 2012-13 continues to be a breakout season for the increasingly in-demand mezzo-soprano. She begins with a major milestone in the career of any young artist - her debut on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera. She appears in not one, but two operas there this season: the return of the beloved Jonathan Miller production of Le Nozze di Figaro, and the new production of Wagner's Parsifal, where she will appear alongside Jonas Kaufmann, René Pape and Peter Mattei under the baton of Daniele Gatti. Parsifal will also be part of the Met's 2012-13 Live in HD series, transmitting live performances from the Met into thousands of movie theaters worldwide. The northern-California native also makes a very special debut with San Francisco Opera in their new production of Les contes d'Hoffmann directed by Laurent Pelly. Other highlights of her season include her role and house debut as Cherubino with the Syracuse Opera and the cover of Suzy in La Rondine at the Met.

Last season Roberts debuted in several prominent American opera houses, including a return to the role of Siébel in Lyric Opera Baltimore's new production of Gounod's Faust, leading Opera News and Baltimore Sun critic Tim Smith to exclaim: “Roberts excelled as Siébel, offering a rich, burnished tone and colorful nuances, both musical and dramatic, that helped flesh out the character greatly.”  She portrayed the titular role in Carmen at Fresno Opera for both her role and house debut, which the Fresno Bee called "first rate... an intriguing blend of sex and steely determination," and joined the roster of the Met as the cover of Stephano for Gounod's Roméo et Juliette.  Roberts made important debuts on the concert stage as well, including her first performance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a concert presentation of Rigoletto at the Hollywood Bowl, conducted by the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s dynamic Music Director, Gustavo Dudamel.  She also returned to Townsend Opera for a run as Carmen, and to Palm Beach Opera for performances as Suzuki in Madama Butterfly which earned her acclaim for her "commanding, dark voice" (Palm Beach Post) and "beautifully rounded tone that is always on target" (ConcertoNet).

Roberts' previous engagements have included Siébel with the North Carolina Opera, Mahler’s Ruckert Lieder with the Duke University Orchestra, Amore in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice at Palm Beach Opera, and two summer seasons at the Castleton Festival performing in Suor Angelica, The Beggar’s Opera and covering Miss Jessel in The Turn of the Screw.  She also made house and role debuts at the Townsend Opera in 2009 as Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and in 2008 as Suzuki at the Opera Western Reserve.  During her time at Palm Beach Opera’s Young Artist Program, Roberts performed on the main-stage as Emilia in Verdi's Otello, Zerlina in Mozart's Don Giovanni and Mercédès in Carmen.  Roberts also won 2nd prize in the Advanced Division at the 41st Annual Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition.