American mezzo-soprano Erin Wagner is a passionate advocate for vocal music that embraces modern and diverse perspectives. She won the 2021 Naumburg Foundation Vocal Award, making her Carnegie Hall recital debut with the program “But how things change,” which featured works by Edie Hill, Fauré, Ravel, Errollyn Wallen, Shawn Chang, and Mahler. Erin also commissioned Errollyn Wallen to compose the song cycle JOY, which premiered in 2023.

An alumna of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, Erin debuted as Jack in Dame Ethel Smyth’s The Wreckers and performed in Le Nozze di Figaro (Barbarina) and Salome (Page). She was named a First Prize Winner of the 2022 YCA Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, leading to debut performances at The Kaufman Center and The Kennedy Center. At the 2022 Merola Opera Program, she won the Schwabacher Recital Debut Auditions with Shawn Chang, and they later performed a recital at San Francisco Opera titled “Everything Must Change.” In 2023, Erin returned to the Aspen Music Festival as a Renée Fleming Artist, where she portrayed Idamante in Idomeneo and performed Schubert under Nicholas McGegan.

In the 2024-25 season, Erin will make her Metropolitan Opera debut in Richard Strauss’ Die Frau ohne Schatten. She will also present a new work by David Ludwig on the Brooklyn Arts Song Series, participate in the New York Festival of Song at Merkin Hall, and perform with the Brazos Valley Symphony and the Maryland Symphony. Erin will be featured in the YCA Encore Series at the Morgan Library and the YCA Season Finale at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall.

Erin is dedicated to making art accessible to all. She commissioned Shawn Chang to compose “Marty’s Letter”, based on her father’s childhood, and collaborated with David Clay Mettens on The Sustaining Air, set to text by Larry Eigner. Erin holds a Master’s Degree from The Juilliard School, where she won the Juilliard Vocal Arts Honors Recital, and a Bachelor’s Degree from The Manhattan School of Music. She currently studies with Dr. Stephen King.

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YCA represents mezzo-soprano Erin Wagner for worldwide engagements. Please contact us for more information.