Critically acclaimed by virtually every major outlet covering classical music, American mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton is increasingly recognized for how she uses her powerful instrument offstage: lifting up women, queer people, and other marginalized communities. Her lively social media presence on Instagram and Twitter (@jbartonmezzo) serves as a hub for conversations about body positivity, social justice issues, and LGBTQ+ rights. She is proud to volunteer with Turn The Spotlight, an organization working to identify, nurture, and empower leaders among women and people of color – and in turn, to illuminate the path to a more equitable future in the arts.
In recognition of her iconic performance at the Last Night of the Proms, Ms. Barton was named 2020 Personality of the Year at the BBC Music Magazine Awards. She is also the winner of the International Opera Awards Readers’ Award, Beverly Sills Artist Award, Richard Tucker Award, and both Main and Song Prizes at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. Ms. Barton’s 2007 win at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions launched a major international career.
In the 2022/23 season, Ms. Barton makes her role debut as Amneris in Aida at Teatro Real Madrid and brings her acclaimed interpretation of Azucena to Il trovatore at Royal Opera House Covent Garden. She performs as Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde at Bayerische Staatsoper and appears with European orchestras in Prague, Czech Republic, and Valencia, Spain. She also returns to the BBC Proms with the London Philharmonic Orchestra for her debut as the Angel in Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius and makes her house debut as Mère Marie in Dialogues des Carmélites at the Metropolitan Opera.
Ms. Barton has appeared with Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax at Tanglewood, and in recital across the U.S. and U.K., including featured engagements at Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, and the Kennedy Center. Her solo albums include All Who Wander, which received the 2018 BBC Music Magazine Vocal Award, and Unexpected Shadows, nominated for a 2022 Grammy® Award for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album.