Malinda Haslett, soprano
Grammy nominated soprano Malinda Haslett is an internationally recognized performer and scholar. She is best known for her leading operatic roles, research promoting women composers, and linguistic skills. Dr. Haslett performs regularly in Europe, Asia, and the US while balancing her role as Director of Vocal Studies and Artistic Director of the Osher Opera Theater at the Osher School of Music at the University of Southern Maine.
Haslett’s career spans four continents and over forty leading operatic roles. Performances of note include numerous performances in the US and Europe in her signature role as Violetta in La Traviata, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte for which Opera News stated that she sang “with such meltingly limpid phrases that the audience held its collective breath”, and The Soul in the world premiere of Ethel Smyth’s Prison, that premiered in Berlin’s famed Konzerthaus. Other roles of not include Nannetta in Falstaff with the Le Grand Théâtre de Limoges, Le Grand Théâtre de Reims, and Sarasota Opera; the title character Juliette in Roméo et Juliette with Utah Symphony and Opera, Nashville Opera and Opera Columbus; Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with Naples Philharmonic Orchestra, Syracuse Opera, and The West Virginia Symphony; and many more.
Selected solo performances include those at the Royal Opera House (London, UK), solo recitals in Beirut (Lebanon) and Danang (Vietnam). In Italy, Haslett won the competitions Concorso Internazionale di Tito Schipa and Concorso Internazionale di Roma. With the Quintessence Chamber Ensemble, Dr. Haslett has sung throughout the Baltic region of Asia, Turkey, Estonia, Russia, Norway and Sweden. In Canada, Ms. Haslett has sung with the Calgary Symphony, and in Mexico she made her debut with Zerlina in Don Giovanni with Ópera de Zapopan. Additional solo concert and orchestra performances have been on stages in Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Italy, Lebanon, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Tanzania, Turkey, the UK, and the US.
Haslett has presented her research on women and under-represented composers at the College Music Society National Conference, Music by Women Festival, Women’s Work in Music Conference (Wales), and the Anna Maria Mozart Gesellschaft (Austria). She has been a guest lecturer, performer and teacher at Lebanese American University in Beirut, Conservatorio di Musica Giacomo Puccini, Conservatorio di Musica Arrigo Boito, Conservatorio di Musica Luca Marenzio in Italy, and Janáček Academy of Performing Arts in the Czech Republic. Dr. Haslett is a recipient of grants from the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, the Czech Institute for Slavonic Studies, Rotary Foundation, Music Teacher National Association, and was the 2022-2023 University of Southern Maine Trustee Professor for her project: The Women Who Risked Everything for Freedom.
Malinda Haslett earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Stony Brook University in New York, Artist Diploma from Accademia Internazionale delle Arti in Rome, Master degree from Temple University in Philadelphia, and Bachelor of Music from Loyola University in New Orleans. She has represented the US as Rotary International’s Ambassadorial Scholar to Rome. She has co-hosted American Cancer Society events with President Barack Obama and has been a member of Daraja Music Initiative, a non-profit music organization in Tanzania. She currently holds the position of Director of Vocal Studies, Associate Professor and Osher Opera Theater Artistic Director at the University of Southern Maine.
Dr. Haslett is a new-ish Mainahhh, where she lives with her tenor husband, Jonathan Boyd. When not teaching, performing, researching, or actively engaging in world domination, her happy place is with the horses at the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals.