Of her impressive San Francisco Opera debut as the Duchess of Parma in Busoni's Doktor Faust, for which Opera News raved, "In her company debut, as the Duchess, soprano Hope Briggs was stellar, delivering one of the evening's highlights with her lusciously intoned, lovelorn aria." Other career highlights include The First Lady in Die Zauberflöte and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at Frankfurt Opera, The Duchess of Parma in Busoni's Doktor Faust at Stattstheater Stuttgart, the title role of Aida at Sacramento Opera, Nevada Opera, and Cedar Rapids Opera. Ms. Briggs also created the role of Paula in the world premiere of Hector Armienta'a River of Women. Her most recent performances include, Leonora in Il Trovatore with El Paso Opera and Festival Opera of Walnut Creek, Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera at Festival Opera and Serena in Porgy and Bess at Tulsa Opera. Additionally she has been seen as the Countess Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, Micaëla in Carmen, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, and the title role of Suor Angelica.
On the concert stage, Ms. Briggs has performed Mozart's Coronation Mass and Requiem, Vivaldi's Gloria, Villa-Lobo's Bachianas Brasileiras, Rachmaninoff's Vocalise, Verdi's Requiem and Mendelssohn's Elijah. Dvorak's Stabat Mater and the opening night Gala Concert with Oakland East Bay Symphony, Hanna in scenes from The Merry Widow with Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Samuel Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with the Marin Theater Company and Hailstork's I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes with the San Antonio Symphony. She has been the featured soloist with the Symphony Parnassus, The Wondrous Sounds of Christmas at the San Francisco Symphony, Hope Briggs and Friends: A Musical Valentine at San Francisco's Herbst Theater and the World Premiere of Marion J. Caffey's Three Mo' Divas. As a gifted recitalist Ms. Briggs has performed for African-Americans for Los Angeles Opera, Madewood Music Festival, Afrosolo Music Festival at the Yerba Buena Performing Arts Center, Concerts at the Abbey in Seattle and Caio Melissa in Spoleto, Italy. She has had the honor of performing for Ms. Jessye Norman at Alliance FrançaiseTrophée des Arts Gala and Rev. Billy Graham. She has been the recipient of numerous awards which include: National Finalist in Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Metropolitan Opera International Vocal Competition Award, the Encouragement Award from the Licia Albanese Puccini Foundation, Marion Anderson Historical Society Scholar, and study grants from the Opera Buffs of California and the Barkley Fund. For more information: www.hopebriggs.com