Emily Dirks

Biography

Soprano Emily Dirks is an active performer and recitalist, having recently sung Musetta in La bohème with Opera in the Ozarks and the title role in Poulenc’s Les Mamelles de Tirésias with the Turner-Fischer Center for Opera at Louisiana State University. She portrayed the role of Krysia in the collegiate premiere of Jake Heggie’s Out of Darkness: Two Remain with LSU Opera in 2019, a production that won first place in the National Opera Association (NOA) scenes competition. In the summer of 2017, Emily traveled internationally to perform Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte with La Musica Lirica in Novafeltria, Italy. Other performance credits include Manon (Poussette) with LSU Opera; Little Women (Quartet) with Opera in the Ozarks; The Gondoliers (Gianetta), Così fan tutte (Fiordiligi), and The Merry Widow (Hanna Glawari) with Luther College Opera Theatre. Emily has performed in notable masterclasses with soprano Lisette Oropesa, pianist/vocal coach Martin Katz, and Houston Grand Opera Studio director Brian Speck. Recent competition credits include First Place, 2019 Louisiana National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS); First Honorable Mention, 2017 Iowa NATS; Finalist, 2017 Concerto Competition at Luther College; and Winner, 2017 Allan & Sally Brudos Prize for Opera Performance at Luther College.

Emily is also an active teacher, having taught weekly lessons to undergraduate voice majors as part of the advanced teaching practicum with Dr. Loraine Sims at Louisiana State University. In addition, Emily maintained a private studio in the Baton Rouge area, teaching contemporary, classical, and musical theatre technique to all ages, also offering lessons in piano, guitar, music theory, and aural skills. Emily holds an M.M. in Vocal Performance from Louisiana State University (Phi Beta Kappa) and graduated cum laude from Luther College with a B.A. in Music