California native, mezzo-soprano Shabnam Kalbasi is an up and coming mezzo-soprano garnering attention from coast to coast. Recent solo credits include alto soloist for Los Angeles Master Chorale's The Messiah under Grant Gershon at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the world premiere of Juhi Bansal's We All Look to the Stars, and the West Coast premiere of Reena Esmail’s This Love Between Us: Prayers for Unity. Kalbasi has also performed solos in Israel in Egypt and in Pulitzer Prize winning composer Ellen Reid’s world premiere of Dreams of a New World with the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Ms. Kalbasi’s voice has been recognized by the George London Foundation, Metropolitan Opera's National Council Auditions, Palm Springs Opera Guild and Vocal Arts D.C. Competition. She has performed at The Broad Stage, Venture Opera, Opera Memphis, and made her recital debut at the Kennedy Center. Ms. Kalbasi sang Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus with Prelude to Performance and debuted the role of Union Organizer in the premiere of Juliet Palmer's opera Sweat at Brooklyn's National Sawdust. A two-season Apprentice Artist and Canning Memorial Award recipient with Santa Fe Opera, Ms. Kalbasi sang Contessa Ceprano in Rigoletto and Olivia in Jennifer Higdon's world premiere and Grammy-nominated Cold Mountain. Ms. Kalbasi has worked with LA Opera Connects as a teaching artist since 2012.
