Jacquelyn Stucker
Zoe Band
Shirley Thomson
Mia Musa-Green
“…but for sheer sensual beauty of voice, the star of the show was the American soprano Jacquelyn Stucker.”
- The Telegraph
American soprano Jacquelyn Stucker masters a broad-ranging repertoire of classical and contemporary operatic roles and is one of today’s most exciting singing actresses. Her unanimously acclaimed debut as the title role in Ted Huffman’s inspired staging of Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea at the 2022 Festival d’Aix-en-Provence firmly sealed her reputation as a fast-rising star.
Jacquelyn Stucker makes several highly anticipated appearances this season: her company debut as Rosalinde in Barrie Kosky’s production of Die Fledermaus at Dutch National Opera returning in Philip Venables’ new opera We Are The Lucky Ones directed by Ted Huffmann, her Metropolitan Opera debut as Contessa Almaviva led by Joana Mallwitz, and her role and company debut as the Governess in The Turn of the Screw at Santa Fe Opera. In concert, Stucker appears in Beethoven Symphony No.9 led by Raphaël Pichon at Philharmonie de Paris, and as Soprano II in Mahler’s Symphony No.8 with Tonkünstler Orchestra. In future seasons, Stucker makes her debut at Lyric Opera of Chicago, and returns to the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Opéra National de Paris, and the Metropolitan Opera.
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In the 2023/24 season, Jacquelyn Stucker was seen in several acclaimed new projects including her company and role debut as Lucia in Thomas Adès’ The Exterminating Angel at Opéra national de Paris, Zabelle in George Benjamin’s Picture A Day Like This at Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House and her return to Festival d’Aix-en-Provence as Dalila in Rameau’s Samson, conducted by Raphaël Pichon. Further appearances included her role debut as Rosalinde Die Fledermaus at Staatsoper Hamburg and in concert with Les Musiciens du Louvre at Teatro Real, Madrid and Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris.
Other key performances in Stucker’s formative seasons include her debut as Pamina Die Zauberflöte at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Poppea L’incoronazione di Poppea at Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía and Eurydice in an innovative production of Orphée et Eurydice with Ensemble Pygmalion conducted by Raphaël Pichon. She debuted at Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía as Dalinda Ariodante, at Glyndebourne Festival as Armida Rinaldo and as Azema in David Alden’s new production of Semiramide at Bayerische Staatsoper. As a former member of the ensemble of Deutsche Oper Berlin, Jacquelyn appeared there as Freia in Stefan Herheim’s Das Rheingold, Tytania A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Gretel Hänsel und Gretel. In an opera in concert setting, Stucker has sung Contessa Le nozze di Figaro with Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society under Raphaël Pichon, Hänsel und Gretel with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra under Sir Donald Runnicles and Eurydice Orfeo et Eurydice with Washington Concert Opera.
A regular presence on the international concert stage, Stucker’s appearances have included Beethoven Missa Solemnis with Klaus Mäkelä and Oslo Philharmonic; Berg Sieben frühe Lieder with Sir Donald Runnicles and Minnesota Orchestra; Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem conducted by Finnegan Downie Dear at Tokyo Spring Festival and Dalila in Handel’s Samson with the Academy of Ancient Music marking her BBC Proms debut. Her prolific concert highlights include Hanns Eisler Deutsche Sinfonie with NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester; Bach Ich habe genug (BWV 82a) with the Royal Opera House Orchestra; Strauss Vier letzte Lieder with Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Beethoven Ah! Perfido with Grand Harmonie.
Jacquelyn Stucker earned a Doctorate in Musical Arts from the New England Conservatory and is a graduate of the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden where she sang Aphrodite in Henze’s Phaedra, Frasquita in Barrie Kosky’s production of Carmen — broadcast worldwide in March 2018 as part of the ROH Live Cinema Season — Alessandro in Handel Berenice and Prilepa in The Queen of Spades under the baton of Sir Antonio Pappano.
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“Jacquelyn Stucker, dressed and undressed to kill, in a laudably eloquent, sonorous first foray into Rameau.”
“Pichon has chosen many exquisite pieces of music, which he conducts with a mixture of high drama and sensitivity. The singers perform with profound commitment: Jacquelyn Stucker manages ravishing musicality and glassy precision as Dalila; Lea Desandre sounds curiously unsettled in the part of first wife Timna, while Nahuel di Pierro is suitably threatening as Philistine ruler Achisch. The choir and orchestra of Pygmalion are, as always, vertiginously good.”
“The exceptional Jacquelyn Stucker as Dalila, a fragile and enchanting idol, comes to life with unparalleled performance. Her duet with a flute from the orchestra will remain one of the most beautiful moments of the evening”
“Jacquelyn Stucker sang the hostess Lucía de Nobile with lyrical perfection and bodily presence in her extramarital affairs. The soprano, gifted with a lyrical voice, managed to make the role something distinguished.”
“Most striking is Jacquelyn Stucker as Lucía de Nobile. Her powerful, round voice, with a particularly dense timbre, and precision of singing accompany the interpretation without exhausting the character she portrays.”
“Soprano Jacquelyn Stucker with clear and beautiful phrasing and superlative virtuosity.”
“American soprano Jacquelyn Stucker, as Rosalinde, had the most memorable voice, a distinct beautiful timbre, and a rich creamy middle.”
“Jacquelyn Stucker’s gleaming soprano was worth the wait.”
“The weight of the performance undoubtedly falls on the interpreter of Poppea; on this occasion the American soprano Jacquelyn Stucker is truly extraordinary and without a doubt a singer to follow closely. You rarely see someone live a role with that intensity and truth. In her Poppea there was intention, exquisiteness, dedication… a splendid creation, lived in body and soul. Vocally she is impeccable, resolving the entire part with overwhelming ease.”
“Jacquelyn Stucker’s beautiful Poppea stood out, with singing and stage presence that make her the ideal interpreter of such a rich character.”
“Jacquelyn Stucker illuminated the darkness as Pamina: distilling strength from sweetness and (in that transcendent moment just before the final Trials) reducing me to a tearful, choked-up mess.”
“The cast was headed by Jacquelyn Stucker, a strikingly beautiful woman who imbued her music with a smouldering soprano tone.”
“Stucker possesses a wonderfully expressive voice, with an interesting, colorful pallet which she used intelligently to imbue her voice with an alluring sensuality quality. Her phrasing was detailed and carefully moulded to fit the text, and displayed her fine technique to good effect. She projects her voice sensitively and clearly.”
“Jacquelyn Stucker was a thrilling soloist. She has a full-sounding voice, evenly matched from the bottom of her range to the radiant high notes that Strauss requires. She had the stamina to carry the long lines through, pouring waves of beautiful legato lines.”
“Jacquelyn Stucker who, as a fire-and-brimstone Armida, topped the vocal honours and commanded the dramatic stage. Stucker sang with a sparkle like the luxurious shine of rubies as Armida stamped and scorched her way through any obstacle that dared to confront her. Stucker’s soprano evinced a glamorous intensity with a real glint of danger. It had both bite at the top and succulence in the middle, as well as darkness at the bottom: it’s hard to imagine a soprano with the power and range more suited to embody the evil enchantress’.”
“Stucker scorched the auditorium with Armida’s second act showstopper “Ah, crudel”, her resolute soprano tinted a rich shade of spinto for the whip-cracking dominatrix.”
“but for sheer sensual beauty of voice, the star of the show was the American soprano Jacquelyn Stucker – one of the Royal Opera’s exceptionally strong current crop of apprentices and clearly a name to remember.”
“Jacquelyn Stucker’s Alessandro took the crown for pure vocal beauty, with top notes that exuded warmth as well as clarity and balanced phrasing.”
