Myka Murphy
CONTRALTO
American contralto Myka Murphy brings a rich voice and dramatic presence to opera and concert stages. Praised by OperaWire for a voice of “abundant quality of strength,” she is drawn to expressive characters, compelling stories, and music that connects performers and audiences.
Murphy’s operatic repertoire includes Madame Flora in Menotti’s The Medium, Venus in Wagner’s Tannhäuser, Zita in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, and Baba the Turk in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress. She has appeared with Opera Mississippi, Atlanta Concert Opera, and Red River Lyric Opera. At St. Petersburg Opera, she covered Madame Flora in The Medium and appeared in the chorus of Voices from the Other Side.
As the Sorceress in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Murphy performed with Juilliard’s historical performance ensemble, Juilliard 415. She reprised the role on tour at London’s Holland Park and the Opéra Royal in Versailles. Her other operatic performances include Giovanna in Rigoletto, La Principessa in Suor Angelica, and Thelma Yablonski in Later the Same Evening.
Equally at home on the concert stage, Murphy has appeared as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Jackson Symphony and performed the alto solos in Handel’s Messiah and Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde. She was also the alto soloist for the Mississippi premiere of Dan Locklair’s Requiem and made her Alice Tully Hall debut singing selections from Libby Larsen’s Love After 1950.
Murphy’s interest in new music has led to collaborations with composers and fellow Juilliard alumni, as well as recorded work featured at the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival.
Based in the Atlanta area, Murphy holds a Master of Music in Voice from The Juilliard School, a Bachelor of Music from the University of Southern Mississippi, and an Artist Certificate from Boston University’s Opera Institute. She is currently managed by Martha Wade of Wade Artist Management.
