American soprano Susan Narucki has forged a unique path; her dedication to the music of our time has led to award winning recordings, critically acclaimed performances with musicians of the first rank and close collaborations with generations of composers. She has appeared as a soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philhamonic, Netherlands Opera and numerous appearances at Carnegie Hall. Her extensive discography includes award winning recordings on major labels, including a 2019 Grammy nominations for Best Classical Vocal Recording for The Edge of Silence: Vocal Music of Kurtág (AVIE).
“…immersive passion and intensity..” - Opera News
“ …The scores are modern and meaningful.
Soprano Susan Narucki’s performances of the four women is shockingly true to the material...”
— Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times
projects
Susan Narucki’s innovative performance projects continually stretch boundaries. She has commissioned, produced and performed two critically acclaimed chamber operas: Inheritance (2018) by Grawemeyer Award winning composer Lei Liang, addressing gun violence in America and Cuatro Corridos (2013), based on a true story of human trafficking in the San Diego border region. The operas earned major philanthropic support from the MAP Fund for the Performing Arts, UC MEXUS, Creative Capital Foundation, New Music USA as well as multiple awards from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Inheritance (2018)
Cuatro Corridos, Tijuana MX
recordings
Susan Narucki’s recordings demonstrate her extraordinary curiosity and wide ranging artistry, beginning with the 1990 recording of David Del Tredici’s Haddock’s Eyes with Zubin Mehta and members of the New York Philhamonic. Her most recording with longtime collaborator Donald Berman is This Island (AVIE) released in early 2023. Researched during the COVID-19 pandemic, it features songs by Henriette Bosmans, Nadia Boulanger and Raoul Pugno, Marion Bauer, Irene Fuerison and Elizabeth Claisse, many recorded for the first time.
“Throughout, Susan Narucki’s devotion to this music is radiantly apparent.. Repeated listening only makes this excellent recording more endearing."
- Arlo Mc Kinnen - Opera News
With Donald Berman and Judith Sherman (This Island AVIE 2023)
With Judith Sherman, Lei Liang and Steven Schick (Inheritance: A Chamber Opera Albany Records 2019)
Educator and mentor
educator and mentor
Susan Narucki presents master classes and workshops on 20th/21st century vocal music and on the conversation between the arts and contemporary society. She serves as Distinguished Professor of Music at UC San Diego, where she was the inaugural faculty director of Arts and Community Engagement for the School of Arts and Humanities.
kallisti
Established by soprano Susan Narucki at the UC San Diego in 2009, kallisti has offered San Diego audiences exceptional performances of rarely heard works for voice in intimate settings.
Singers from UC San Diego's graduate program in Contemporary Music Performance and distinguished guest artists have collaborated in concert, chamber music and critically-acclaimed chamber operas.
Alex Taylor Dryad (2022) kallisti commission
The Four Note Opera (2023)
