Dramatic soprano Heather Hjelle is a two time Encouragement Grant winner from the Wagner Society in New York. During a 2022 Tebaldi tribute concert, La Renatona’s Chicago Midsummer Centenary stated, “[Hjelle’s] most potent vocal asset is direct projection… one is curious to hear her gifts in that [Wagnerian] repertoire”.
Hjelle made her professional debut with the role of Santuzza in Main Street Opera’s production of Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana in 2017, shortly after covering Metropolitan Opera soprano, Alexandra LoBianco, in the same role with Opera Steamboat. In 2019, she starred in the title role of La Gioconda with Opera MODO.
Ms. Hjelle was invited in 2022 to sing with the American Wagner Project in Reno, Nevada where she trained with some of the leading dramatic voice legends of our time.
Ms. Hjelle has performed internationally in the title role of Puccini’s Suor Angelica, Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, the title role of Rusalka.
Heather teaches voice at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, where she earned degrees in theater and music. She received her Master of Music in vocal performance at North Park University in Chicago.
