top of page
SEB00683_edited.jpg

Biography

Find out more about Ms. Tillotson

Official Biography

Praised equally for her rich, powerful voice and unique expressiveness, Mezzo Soprano Lara Tillotson is an exciting dramatic singer on the rise. OPERA WIRE described Ms. Tillotson’s 2018 role debut of Amneris in Verdi’s Aida as “an unexpected thunderbolt.” The BROOKLYN DISCOVERY proclaimed “the Judgement Scene in Act 4 was sung brilliantly” and “was greeted by an ovation for its tremendous - beautifully sung and acted - imploding of Amneris.” Of her performances of Azucena in Il Trovatore, Nino Pantone was struck by her “stunning upper register” and “burnished lows” while Loren Lester wrote “Ms Tillotson is a tremendous actress with a soulful voice.”

 

Fall of 2019 brought a return to Carmen, a signature role for the fiery diva, as part of Regina Opera’s 50th anniversary season. She brings her “lustrous mezzo” to the heroine with “brash, beguiling strength” “like Lana Turner capturing her prey.” Ms. Tillotson also performed excerpts from Don Carlo for the company’s 50th anniversary Gala.

In 2016, Ms. Tillotson had the honor of performing the role of Geltrude in the East Coast premiere of Amleto with Opera Delaware, as part of Maestro Anthony Barrese’s series of performances of his reconstruction of Franco Faccio’s masterpiece. These performances drew rave reviews from the WASHINGTON POST, the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, and the DELAWARE NEWS JOURNAL. Ms. Tillotson’s portrayal of the Queen was described in turn as “strong” “excellent” and “fiery” while OPERA NEWS praised her command of “the range of both an Eboli and an Elisabetta.” 

 

The 2014/15 season saw several performances as Carmen, a role debut of Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera and an appearance as Maddalena in Rigoletto. Ms. Tillotson has performed with some of North America’s finest opera companies including Dallas Opera, Fort Worth Opera, New Orleans Opera, Sarasota Opera, St. Petersburg Opera, and Opera in the Heights. Of her appearances in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, the TAMPA BAY TIMES noted, “[she] gave the kind of confident performance that should lead to many more.” Additionally, the paper praised her “ravishing top notes” and “soft conversational singing…communicated an air of vulnerable innocence that never lost its hold.” Ms. Tillotson was recently featured in an issue of ARTS HOUSTON which noted her “utterly believable” and “larger-than-life” dramatic portrayals, while the PALM BEACH ARTS PAPER recognized her “meaningful and fine interpretation” in Ward’s The Crucible.  

 

Specializing in the dramatic mezzo soprano roles of Verdi and Verismo composers, Ms. Tillotson’s repertoire encompasses many of opera’s most enigmatic characters from Verdi’s Azucena, Amneris, Eboli, and Ulrica, to Saint-Saens’ Dalila, Santuzza, Cilea’s Princess de Bouillon, and Bizet’s Carmen.  

 

Ms. Tillotson holds her Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from University of North Texas and a Master of Music in Opera Performance from Southeastern Louisiana University. 

SEB01052_edited.jpg
SEB00686.jpg

Repertoire

Bizet

Carmen / Carmen 

Bellini

Adalgisa / Norma 

Cilea

Principessa di Bouillon / Adriana Lecouvreur

d'Albert 

Rosalia / Tiefland 

Faccio 

Geltrude / Amleto 

Mascagni

Santuzza / Cavalleria Rusticana 

Rossini 

Rosina / Il Barbiere di Siviglia 

Saint-Saëns

Dalila / Samson et Dalila 

Verdi 

Amneris / Aida 

Azucena / Il Trovatore

Eboli / Don Carlos

Maddalena / Rigoletto

Ulrica / Un ballo in maschera 

bottom of page