Paula Newberry

Ms. Newberry is well known for her powerful coloratura soprano voice. This season she returns to Opera Memphis as the first soprano in the "Doctor Jesus" scene from George Gershwin's, "Porgy and Bess." This past May, got the opportunity in a 12 member vocal ensemble to sing with international mezzo-soprano, Denyce Graves, at the 50th anniversary Opera Gala of Opera Memphis.

She made her debut as "The First Spirit" in Mozart's, "Die Zauberflöte in Memphis, TN with Opera Memphis in 2002 and burst on the scene with her "Evening of Opera" Concert Recital debut at Carnegie Hall in New York in 2003. Her powerful coloratura soprano voice has toured on the concert stage throughout the United States, Italy and Austria in venues such as Carnegie Hall (Weill Recital Hall), Sala Pegasus (Spoleto, Italy), the San Francisco Bay Area Art Museums, The Germantown Performing Arts Center, The Germantown Symphony Orchestra, Rust College Concert Auditorium, Rhodes College Auditorium (televised debùt), Border's Music, Barnes and Noble, the Junior Leagues of Memphis, Tennessee and Orlando, Florida, The Beethoven Club, Amro Music Auditorium and many more venues. Her opera roles have included the "Sandman and the Dew Fairy" from Hansel and Gretel at Como Opera, "Gilda" from Rigoletto, "Cleopatra" from Giulio Cesare and "Treemonisha" from Scott Joplin's, "Treemonisha" with the Walker Academy of Vocal Excellence, "Clara" from Porgy and Bess, "Susanna" from Le Nozze di Figaro, The "First Spirit” from Die Zauberflote with Opera Memphis, and “The Second Spirit” with University of Memphis Opera, work in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Macbeth, Lucia di Lammermoor, arias and duets with Opera under the Stars at Como Opera, opera arias for "Guild at the Grille" at Como Opera.

Her theater work has included the roles of the "Girl" and the "Negro" from Roar of the Greasepaint Smell of the Crowd, and the "Opera Diva" in Don't Ask Me Not To Sing. She has performed with Opera Memphis, Central Florida Lyric Opera, Como Opera, Cinnabar Opera, Oakland Opera, San Francisco Lilliput Player's Children's Theater, River Repertory Theater, Memphis Vocal Arts Ensemble, St. Mary's Cathedral Choir, the Germantown Symphony Orchestra, Bravo! Ristorante Dinner Theater, Romano's Macaroni Grill and many more. Her performance invitations have included the City Opera Theater of San Francisco in Carlisle Floyd's, Susanna.

She has appeared in the following films: Johnny Cash's movie, Walk the Line, (2004), Rookie Bookie, (2003), Going to California, (2001), Take me Back to Beale, (2001), The Bachelor, (1998), and Mumford, (1997). Her recordings include Evening of Opera Excerpts II (2004), Christmas at St. Mary's (2002), Spirit Moving Spirituals, (2001), Evening of Opera Excerpts I (1997).

Her vocal and writing honors and awards include grants and vocal scholarships from The Marian Anderson Vocal Scholarship, Bagby Musical Foundation in New York, Society of Singers, MusiCares, The Actors Fund, American Guild of Musical Artists, University of Miami @ Salzburg, Spoleto Vocal Arts Symposium, Community Foundation (The Autian Fund), The American Institute of Musical Studies Acceptance, Change, Inc. of New York, The Beethoven Club, Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, Lindenwood Christian Church, Second Congregational Church, Writer's Digest Poetry Writing Competition, Congressional Scholarship from Harold Ford Sr., to Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music, Juilliard School of Music recommendation from the late Memphis Symphony Conductor, Alan Balter, recipient of keys to cities of Memphis, TN and Holly Springs, MS, and numerous other vocal scholarships.

She has worked with conductors and directors, Michael Ching (Opera Memphis), Monroe Kanouse (Sacramento Opera), David Loebel (Memphis Symphony), Edwin Hubbard (Germantown Symphony), Thomas Machen (Memphis Vocal Arts Ensemble), and CJ Everett (Spoleto Vocal Arts Symposium, Spoleto, Italy), James Caraher and David Durrett (Como Opera). She has worked with Grace Bumbry (in Master Classes), and the following teachers and vocal coaches: Thomas Machen, Ethel Maxwell, David Tigner, John J. Fuller of (Bravo! Ristorante), the late Sara Beth Causey, Maria Alsatti, Monroe Kanouse, Marcie Stapp, (Spoleto Vocal Arts Symposium coaches, Alessandro Benigi, Federico Brunello, Eddi De Nadai, and Bruno Campanella).

Her vocal studies and education include a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Oberlin College and vocal studies at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, vocal studies at the University of Memphis, The Internationale Sommerakademie Universität Mozarteum, (Salzburg, Austria), the Spoleto Vocal Arts Symposium, (Spoleto, Italy) and Arkansas State University.

 

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