About this Artist

Mezzo-soprano MILAGRO VARGAS has stirred audiences throughout the United States and Europe with her distinctive voice and stage presence. Widely praised for the power of her interpretations, Vargas can be heard in opera, orchestral, concert, chamber music, and recital settings.

Vargas was a soloist with the Stuttgart Opera from 1983-1992. Among her roles were Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, and Nancy in Britten’s Albert Herring. She sang Charlotte in Zimmermann’s Die Soldaten, a role she reprised in 1995 at the Opéra de Paris Bastille, and recorded for Teldec. Other roles include Dorabella in Così fan tutte at Berlin’s Komische Oper and Ramiro in La finta giardiniera at the Heidelberg Schlossfest. Her portrayal of Nefertiti in the world premiere of Philip Glass’s Akhnaten was recorded by CBS/Sony with Dennis Russell Davies conducting. She sang Fortunata in Bruno Maderna’s Satyricon, recorded by Harmonia Mundi. In 1996 she sang the role of Carmen with the Eugene Opera.

Among her solo engagements, Vargas has appeared with the American Composer’s Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Houston Symphony, the Beethovenhalle Orchestra (Bonn), Residentie Orkest (the Hague), Staatsorchester Stuttgart, and the Chamber Orchestra of Saint Luke’s. An avid proponent of vocal chamber music, she has appeared with Da Camera (Houston), the Folger Consort, the Chicago Chamber Players, the Amsterdam Chamber Festival, the Saarbrücken Festival for New Music, and festivals such as Aspen, Marlboro, Bard, Chamber Music Northwest, and Cabrillo.

A native of New York, Vargas completed her undergraduate degree at the Oberlin School of Music with Helen Hodam and her Master’s degree at the Eastman School of Music with Jan DeGaetani. Vargas joined the University of Oregon School of Music faculty in 1992.

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