Biography

Praised by The Washington Post for her “consistently beautiful sound,” American mezzo-soprano Sarah Mesko is rapidly gaining recognition for her “rich mezzo soprano” voice and musicality. 

In 25/26, Mesko returns to Houston Grand Opera for Il trittico (La maestra delle novizie) and to The Metropolitan Opera for a new production of I puritani (Enrichetta cover). In 24/25, she made her Lyric Opera of Chicago mainstage debut in Le nozze di Figaro (Marcellina) and debuted with Sag Harbor Song Festival as a guest soloist in its 2024 concerts. Other recent engagements include her Vancouver Opera debut as Carmen (title role) and a return to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for Julius Caesar (title role). On the concert stage, she debuted with the Houston Chamber Choir and Orchestra in the world premiere of Daniel Knaggs’s The Joyful Mysteries. 

She has also returned to Houston Grand Opera and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for Carmen (title role) and to The Metropolitan Opera for Rodelinda (Eduige). Additional Met appearances include Semiramide (Arsace), Carmen (Mercédès), covering the title role in Agrippina, Die Zauberflöte (Zweite Dame), Il trovatore (Ines), and covering in Cendrillon (Le Prince Charmant). Other notable engagements include Carmen (title role) with Tulsa Opera, her Canadian debut in Le comte Ory (Isolier) with Edmonton Opera, Messiah at the U.S. Naval Academy, and recitals at the University of Arkansas and Hendrix College. 

Mesko made her Met debut in The Magic Flute (Second Lady) and appeared nationwide with the Met’s Rising Stars concert tour. She made her role debut as Carmen with Washington National Opera in the Cafritz Young Artist performance, where she also sang Hansel and Gretel (Hansel), Così fan tutte (Dorabella), Madama Butterfly (Suzuki), and The Magic Flute (Second Lady). She debuted at The Glimmerglass Festival in Vivaldi’s Catone in Utica (Emilia) and at Houston Grand Opera in A Little Night Music (Mrs. Segstrom). Her European debut came in Paris in Lully’s Armide (La Sagesse/Sidonie) with Mercury Baroque and the Théâtre de Gennevilliers. 

On the concert stage, Ms. Mesko has appeared with the New York Philharmonic; The Cleveland Orchestra with Franz Welser-Möst; National Symphony Orchestra with Tito Muñoz; in Handel’s Hercules (Dejanira) with the Oregon Bach Festival; Alexander Nevsky with the Columbus Symphony; Die Zauberflöte (Zweite Dame) with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra with Marin Alsop; and Mozart Requiem with the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra. She has given recitals with the Dallas Opera at the Dallas Museum of Art, with tenor Paul Appleby for the George London Foundation at the Morgan Library, with the Dolce Suono Ensemble, with Vocal Arts DC (Janáček’s Diary of One Who Disappeared with tenor Toby Spence), and in the Schwabacher Debut Recital Series for San Francisco Opera Center. 

Mesko was a national finalist in The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, performing with the Met Orchestra under Patrick Summers. She has won First Prize in competitions including the George London Foundation, the National Society of Arts and Letters, Annapolis Opera, Virginia Opera, Young Texas Artists, Sun Valley Opera, and the Franco-American Vocal Academy. She is among the few singers to have twice received the Richard F. Gold Career Grant, at both Washington National Opera and Central City Opera. 

(2025-2026)