Jennifer Rivera

'''Jennifer Rivera''' is an American mezzo-soprano who has had an active international performance career in operas and concerts since the early 2000s.

Rivera studied at the Juilliard School and appeared in several productions with the Juilliard Opera Center, including Gluck's ''Armide'' (1999) and the title role in Rossini's ''La Cenerentola'' (2000), a role that she repeated at Florida Grand Opera in 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/19/movies/opera-review-love-alas-not-sorcery-was-her-true-calling.html|title=Opera Review; Love, Alas, Not Sorcery, Was Her True Calling|author=Anthony Tommasini|author-link=Anthony Tommasini|date=November 19, 1999|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/18/arts/opera-review-a-cinderella-with-a-cold-gets-to-the-ball.html|title=Opera Review; A Cinderella With a Cold Gets to the Ball|work=The New York Times|author=Bernard Holland|author-link=Bernard Holland|date= November 18, 2000}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://southfloridaclassicalreview.com/2009/01/florida-grand-does-rossini-right-with-charming-delightful-cenerentola/|title=Florida Grand Does Rossini Right with Charming, Delightful Cenerentola|author=Lawrence A. Johnson|date=January 26, 2009|work=South Florida Classical Review}}</ref> Rivera performed extensively at New York City Opera early in her career, performing such roles as Hansel ''Hansel and Gretel'' (2002), Lazuli in Chabrier's ''L'étoile'' (2002), Meg in Mark Adamo's ''Little Women'' (2003), Cherubino in ''The Marriage of Figaro'' (2004), Rosina in ''The Barber of Seville'' (2005), Myrrhine in Adamo's ''Lysistrata'' (2006), and Nerone in Handel's ''Agrippina'' (2007).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/24/arts/opera-review-meant-to-tickle-a-chabrier-feather.html|title=Opera Review; Meant to Tickle, a Chabrier Feather|author=Paul Griffiths|author-link=Paul Griffiths (writer)|work=The New York Times|date= October 24, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/22/movies/music-in-review-hansel-and-gretel.html|title=Music In Review; 'Hansel and Gretel'|author=Paul Griffiths|author-link=Paul Griffiths (writer)|work=The New York Times|date= November 22, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/21/movies/reluctant-composer-of-a-rarity-a-hit-opera.html|title=Reluctant Composer Of a Rarity: A Hit Opera|author=Allan Kozinn|author-link=Allan Kozinn|date=March 21, 2003|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/26/arts/music/how-to-energize-the-familiar.html|title=How to Energize the Familiar|author=Anthony Tommasini|author-link=Anthony Tommasini|work=The New York Times|date=October 26, 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/18/arts/music/another-visit-to-seville-where-rossinis-humor-is-waiting.html|title=Another Visit to Seville, Where Rossini's Humor Is Waiting|author=Allan Kozinn|author-link=Allan Kozinn|date=October 18, 2005|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/23/arts/music/23lysi.html|title=City Opera in Adamo's 'Lysistrata,' About Making Love, Not War|author=Anthony Tommasini|author-link=Anthony Tommasini|work=The New York Times|date=March 23, 2006}}</ref>

In 2007, she was also a soloist with the Naumburg Orchestral Concerts, in the Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park, in the summer series.

The same year, 2007, Rivera created the role of Sharon Falconer in the world premiere of Robert Aldridge ''Elmer Gantry'' at the Nashville Opera, a role that she repeated at the Montclair State University in 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/25/arts/music/25elme.html|title=He May Be Loathsome, but This Evangelist Has Pipes|date=January 25, 2008|work=The New York Times|author=Vivien Schweitzer}}</ref> Also in 2008, Rivera performed the role of Sesto in Mozart's ''La clemenza di Tito'' under Roberto Abbado with the Teatro Regio di Torino.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tito Cast List, Teatro Regio|url=http://www.teatroregio.torino.it/sites/default/files/uploads/pdf/locandine9008/0708/09_clemenza.pdf|website=www.teatroregio.torino.it|accessdate=4 February 2016|archive-date=5 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305220443/http://www.teatroregio.torino.it/sites/default/files/uploads/pdf/locandine9008/0708/09_clemenza.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2009 she sang Varèse's ''Offrandes'' in concert with the American Symphony Orchestra, and in 2010 she performed the role of Nerone in Handel's ''Agrippina'' under René Jacobs at the Berlin Staatsoper and created the role of Veruca Salt in the world premiere of Peter Ash's ''The Golden Ticket'' with the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://opera.archive.netcopy.co.uk/article/june-2010/55/germany/agrippina|title=Germany|work=Opera|author=Carlos Maria Solare|date=June 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/arts/music/24stil.html|title=Rescuing a Composer From Obscurity's Shadow|work=The New York Times|author=Allan Kozinn|author-link=Allan Kozinn|date=March 23, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/b411a06a-7e11-11df-8478-00144feabdc0|title=The Golden Ticket, Opera Theatre of St Louis|author=George Loomis|date=June 22, 2010|work=Financial Times}}</ref> In 2011, Rivera performed the role of Ismene in Traetta's ''Antigona'' under René Jacobs at the Berlin Staatsoper, and in 2012, she performed title role in Francesco Provenzale's ''La Stellidaura vendicante'' at the Innsbruck Early Music Festival.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/02/arts/02iht-loomis02.html|title=Rare Glimpses of Traetta's 'Antigona' and Strauss's 'Danae'|work=The New York Times|author=George Loomis|date=February 1, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/15/arts/15iht-loomis15.html|title=At Innsbruck Festival, Opera as It Is Rarely Seen Today|work=The New York Times|author=George Loomis|date=August 14, 2012}}</ref>

In 2013 Rivera performed Kurt Weill’s ''Mahagonny Songspiel'' and portrayed the Nanny in Ernst Toch’s ''Princess and the Pea'' at the Gotham Chamber Opera.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/28/arts/music/baden-baden-1927-from-the-gotham-chamber-opera.html|title=Straight From Baden-Baden, It's Opera-Opera-Opera-Opera|author=Vivien Schweitzer|work=The New York Times|date=October 27, 2013}}</ref> In 2014 she performed the role of Sister Helen Prejean in Jake Heggie's ''Dead Man Walking'' at the Central City Opera, a role that she repeated the following year at Opera Parallèle in San Francisco and then again in 2016 with New Orleans Opera.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/d7e194c2-bc1a-11e4-a6d7-00144feab7de|title=Dead Man Walking, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater, San Francisco — review|author=Allan Ulrich|date=February 24, 2015|work=Financial Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_26103427/at-central-city-opera-dead-man-sings-woefully|title=Review: "Dead Man Walking" at Central City Opera: A man sings woefully, for his life|work=The Denver Post|date=July 7, 2014|author=Ray Mark Rinaldi}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nola.com/arts/index.ssf/2016/03/no_operas_dead_man_walking_a_p.html|title=N.O. Opera's 'Dead Man Walking' a provocative tragedy that expands death penalty arguments|author=Theodore P. Mahne|date=March 5, 2016|work=The Times-Picayune}}</ref> She also appeared as Prince Orlofsky in ''Die Fledermaus'' at the Portland Opera and as Nerone to Peabody Southwell's Agrippina at Opera Omaha in 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.omaha.com/go/passion-power-fuel-opera-omaha-s-agrippina/article_61da6623-cdd6-55f0-b4a3-8a3b62c6d887.html|title=Passion, power fuel Opera Omaha's 'Agrippina'|work=Omaha World-Herald|author= Kim Carpenter |date=February 15, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/performance/index.ssf/2014/11/portland_opera_celebrates_its.html|title=Portland Opera celebrates its 50th anniversary with bubbly Strauss frolic, "Die Fledermaus"|work=The Oregonian|date=November 9, 2014|author=James McQuillen}}</ref> In 2015 she portrayed Queen Sophine in the world premiere of Adamo's ''Becoming Santa Claus'' at the Dallas Opera.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2015/12/11/459364003/re-imagining-santa-claus-from-grasping-kid-to-avatar-of-generosity|title=Re-Imagining Santa Claus — From Grasping Kid To Avatar Of Generosity|work=NPR|author=Bill Zeeble|date=December 11, 2015}}</ref> In 2011 she performed the role of Nerone on a recording of Handel's ''Agrippina'' with the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin under conductor René Jacobs for Harmonia Mundi.<ref>{{cite web|title= Handel: Agrippina|url=http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Harmonia%2BMundi/HMC952088%252F90|website=Prestoclassical.co.uk|accessdate=4 October 2014}}</ref> In 2013 she recorded the title role in Provenzale's ''La Stellidaura vendicante'', also for Harmonia Mundi. In 2015, she received a Helpmann Award, Australia's award for distinguished artistic achievement, as Best Female Performer in an Opera for the role of Faramondo in the Brisbane Baroque production of Faramondo directed by Paul Curran. In 2015 she recorded the role of Penelope in Monteverdi's ''Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria'' which has been nominated for the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Classical.

Rivera was a regular contributor to The Huffington Post Arts and Culture Section and, in 2015, was named the Center for Contemporary Opera's first Director for Artistic Development.<ref>{{cite web|title= Huffington Post Contributor Biography|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-rivera/|website=www.huffingtonpost.com|accessdate=4 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= Jennifer Rivera named CCO's Director for Artistic Development|url=http://centerforcontemporaryopera.org/2015/06/jennifer-rivera-named-ccos-director-for-artistic-development/|website=centerforcontemporaryopera.org/|accessdate=27 May 2016}}</ref>

Rivera is an alumna of the Music Academy of the West where she attended the summer conservatory program in 1995 and 1996.<ref name="MAotW alumni">{{cite web| title=Alumni Roster| url=http://www.musicacademy.org/school/alumni/alumni-roster/voice| website=musicacademy.org| accessdate=30 January 2020| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605021001/http://www.musicacademy.org/school/alumni/alumni-roster/voice| archivedate=5 June 2012| url-status=dead}}</ref>

From 2018 to 2024, Rivera served as the Executive Director & CEO of Long Beach Opera.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Homepage - Long Beach Opera|url=https://www.longbeachopera.org/|access-date=2020-07-21|website=www.longbeachopera.org}}</ref> In 2019, she oversaw the world premiere of the Pulitzer Prize winning opera The Central Park Five by Anthony Davis. Under Rivera's tenure, Long Beach Opera was accused of "racial tokenism" and "a culture of misogyny" by former employees.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gelt |first1=Jessica |title=Arts groups raced to be more diverse. How one L.A.-area company tripped along the way |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2022-07-28/diversity-inclusion-long-beach-opera-racial-tokenism |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=28 July 2022}}</ref> An independent review commissioned by Long Beach Opera found no evidence of racism or sexism, but did find that some employees experienced a lack of respect from executive management, and Rivera took responsibility for employees "feeling unseen and unheard".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jacobs |first1=Tom |title=Investigation Into Long Beach Opera Finds Poor Management, No Racism |url=https://www.sfcv.org/articles/music-news/investigation-long-beach-opera-finds-poor-management-no-racism |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=www.sfcv.org |date=6 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Investigation - Long Beach Opera |url=https://www.longbeachopera.org/investigation |website=www.longbeachopera.org |access-date=14 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220413202506/https://www.longbeachopera.org/investigation |archive-date=13 April 2022 |language=en|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.fletcherartists.com/artists/jennifer-rivera/ Fletcher Artists page]{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} *[http://www.jenniferrivera.com/ Jennifer Rivera's website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rivera, Jennifer}} Category:Living people Category:Juilliard School alumni Category:American operatic mezzo-sopranos Category:Helpmann Award winners Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Music Academy of the West alumni Category:Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation competition winners