AMERICAN MEZZO-SOPRANO
Praised as “luscious,” “amber-toned,” and “dazzling” by Opera News, American mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey is quickly establishing a name for herself across the United States and abroad.
Samantha continues her residency in Munich for the 2020-2021 season, where she reprises the roles of Wellgunde and Zweite Dame and makes her role debut as Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier. Other highlights of her upcoming season include an exciting return to the Metropolitan Opera in 2021, where she will debut the role of Stéphano in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, as well as concert appearances with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra.
H
H
S
LATEST UPDATES FROM SAMANTHA
September 12, 2018
wQXR & OPERAVORE
40 UNDER 40
Ms. Hankey is featured as one of forty young singers to watch in "40 Under 40: A New Generation of Superb Opera Singers," a recent article curated by Operavore & WQXR New York Public Radio.
"Hankey has won various prizes and excelled in every performance I saw her do at Juilliard. She joins the Met this season and will perform in six operas."
September 2, 2018
SAMANTHA HANKEY TAKES HOME MULTIPLE PRIZES IN 2018
OPERALIA COMPETITION
Ms. Hankey traveled to Lisbon, Portugal to compete in Plácido Domingo’s Operalia, The World Opera Competition. One of just twelve finalists, Ms. Hankey was awarded the Second Prize Award in the general division as well as the Birgit Nilsson Prize for her interpretation of the work of Richard Strauss. Operalia maintains a goal of attracting singers of all voice tessituras and from every country in the world ranging from 18 to 32 years of age, and to have them audition and be heard by a panel of distinguished international opera personalities, in the most prestigious and competitive showcase in the world.
Ms. Hankey was the only competitor from the USA to earn prizes in the prestigious finals of the competition, where she performed "Da, chas nastal" from Tchaikovsky's The Maid of Orleans. The finals concert, conducted by Plácido Domingo, was broadcast live internationally- check back here for performance videos soon.
Issue 2 Summer 2018: USA focus
SPOTLIGHT ON SAMANTHA HANKEY
In Askonas Holt's new magazine, Samantha sits down for a Q&A that covers everything from what she loves most about her career to her pre-performance ritual of listening to Gamelan music.
"What do you love most about your career?
All of the adventures and challenges! I love that everyday is a bit different; the rehearsal schedule changes, some days there are lessons, travel, days off...I feel I'm well suited to these changes. I couldn't picture myself sitting at a computer all day, five days a week."
April 2018
SAMANTHA HANKEY NAMED A 2018 RICHARD TUCKER CAREER GRANT WINNER
Richard Tucker Career Grant winners are selected each year for unrestricted grants. Ms. Hankey was previously the recipient of a 2016 Sara Tucker Study Grant.
