DEBORAH LIFTON
Soprono
Endowed with a rich, warm and expressively direct lyric coloratura voice, Deborah Lifton is one of today’s most compelling performers of contemporary American opera and song.
“Her high notes were thrilling, her diction clear, and her concentration never wavered," wrote The New York Concert Review of Ms. Lifton’s debut recital at New York’s Merkin Hall. "She is a fine singing actress whose expressivity always seems to come from within…” 1st Place Winner of the prestigious Joy in Singing Competition Prize, Ms. Lifton’s work has also been honored by the National Federation of Music Clubs, the David Adams Art Song Competition, and the Hellenic Foundation.
In 2022 Deborah was thrilled to get the opportunity to perform as a backup singer for Michael Buble's Higher Tour at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In addition she performed at the Greve Opera Festival in Greve Italy as Soprano soloist in Vivalid's Magnificat, Japan Songs (six world premieres) for Kyo-Shin -An-Arts at Tenri Institute in NYC and the leading role of Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford, CT.
Highlights of 19-21 included singing the Soprano Soloist for Britten’s Les Illuminations with the Hartt Orchestra at the University of Hartford and Harbison's Mirabai Songs with Foot in the Door Ensemble. Deborah joined QuartetES' concert singing Errolyn Wallen's "Beehive" and "Guru" and was a guest artist at Ball State University where she performed a solo recital with pianist Sam Martin.
Her 2017-18 performances included concerts and masterclasses at the China Conservatory in Beijing and Zhejiang Conservatory in Hangzdou in collaboration with composer and pianist Larry Alan Smith. Performances also included Kwan Yin in Su Lian Tan’s Lotus Lives in Montreal at Le Gesu with the Magnitude 6 Ensemble, as well as solo recitals at The International Festival of Arts & Ideas, the Cincinnati Song Initiative and the Rieth Chamber Series in Indiana.
Ms. Lifton has been featured in American Opera Projects’ Composers and the Voice Series, where she worked closely with some of today’s leading young composers of vocal repertoire. She appeared as Sally Follet in Center for Contemporary Opera’s production of William Mayer’s A Death in the Family at the Avignon Opera in France and Millicent in the world premiere of Michael Dellaira’s The Secret Agent at the Szeged National Theater in Hungary. Her performance in leading roles in a double-bill of Philip Hagemann’s works, presented at New York’s Symphony Space, was favorably reviewed by The New York Times. An active recitalist, Ms. Lifton has been heard at New York’s Trinity Church, the Kosciuszko Foundation, Lippes Concert Hall, Le Poisson Rouge, Yamaha Showroom, the National Arts Club and the Galapagos Art Space. She premiered Gity Razaz’s Call Across the Valley of Not Knowing, based on the poetry of Galway Kinnell at National Sawdust. Recordings include Mayer’s A Death in the Family and Dellaira’s The Secret Agent, both with Albany Records.
As an educator, Ms.Lifton is passionately committed to equipping young singers with the technical and artistic tools for success. She has taught vocal performance at New York University, Ithaca College, and Western Connecticut State University – along with adjunct appointments at Syracuse University and Cornell University. She is currently an Associate Professor of Voice at The Hartt School, University of Hartford, CT.
Ms. Lifton has performed on soundtracks for documentaries, movies and nationally televised commercials. . She holds a B.M in Vocal Performance from University of Michigan and an M.M. from the Manhattan School of Music.