Mezzo-soprano and Omaha native Grace Heldridge has an aura befitting her name—grace abounds in both appearance and talent.
The 25-year-old now finds herself in Berlin, Germany, as of August 2024.
“My family went to St. Peter’s Church downtown growing up, so I joined choir there in sixth grade, and then really wanted to start taking voice lessons,” Heldridge recalled. “My mom asked our choir director at our church if I could take [lessons] with his wife, who was an opera singer. That’s where I got my start with [singing]. I also grew up dancing—I did ballet and played piano as well.”
This solid musical foundation led to early confidence in terms of her eventual career path, that of a mezzo-soprano, or a female opera singer with the second highest voice type. Heldridge’s vocal range is slightly lower than a soprano and moderately higher than an alto. “I decided in eighth grade that I wanted to be an opera singer,” she shared. “I did a little solo at church and was like, ‘Oh I love this so much, I want to do this forever.’ From that moment on, I was set on it, and I never stopped wanting to do it.”
Armed with passion and a never-give-up attitude, Heldridge attended the University of Kansas to obtain her undergraduate degree, then swiftly transitioned to the Boston Conservatory at Berklee for her master’s.
“I’ve been teaching Grace for three years,” said Rebecca Folsom, professor of voice at the Boston Conservatory. “I first heard her in the Spring of 2021 and was immediately impressed with her vocal abilities and her level of intelligence.”
Under Folsom’s tutelage, Heldridge has completed her Performance Study certificate and her lush lower registers and lustrous tone quality has graced prominent operatic programs, such as the Seagle Music Festival in the Adirondack region of upstate New York.
“My role is to basically work on her vocal technique and continue to guide her as her voice matures operatically,” Folsom explained. “It’s a very intense relationship at times because you’re teaching and mentoring and guiding a young artist based on what you think may be right for their next steps.”
That relationship has clearly paid off; years of training allowed Heldridge to travel to Berlin to audition for the Komische Oper Berlin—the Berlin Comic Opera—which is located on the glamorous Unter den Linden thoroughfare of the German capital and dates back to the late nineteenth century. A modern addition to the opera house features a neon hashtag that reads “#allesaußergewöhnlich,” or “everything exceptional,” a nod to the innovative and cutting-edge performances that take place on the Komische Oper’s stage.
“Last season, I think I did about 35 auditions,” Heldridge recalled. “There’s an online place called ‘Young Artists program tracker,’ where all the companies in the US and around the world list their auditions…so you just apply for different companies and Young Artist programs, and it’s just the way to get started.”
With only one spot open per voice type, Heldridge put her vocal talent up against hundreds of other performers. “It’s been a huge career goal of mine to work in Europe, especially Germany, because I’ve heard incredible things about it, and it’s where so much of this music that I sing was created, which is so cool,” Heldridge said.
In February, Heldridge was presented with the opportunity to travel to Berlin for the audition cycle, a new experience for her. “It was a two-round process,” she recounted. “I did an initial audition for them where I sang my arias, and they also asked for a monologue. Then, the second round was on stage at the opera house, which was super cool. After that, I did an interview with the artistic staff there, and the next week, I found out I got the job!”
Having taken German classes during her undergraduate studies, Heldridge is familiar with the native language of the land that sets the stage for her new adventure. “Opera students are typically required to take language courses in Italian, German, and French,” Heldridge explained. “We also take diction courses in Italian, German, French, English, and often Czech and Russian, in which we learn to speak and sing with authentic pronunciation.” Continuing to hone her German language skills, Heldridge is aiming to master the language.
The mezzo-soprano will spend two years in Berlin for the program, but is optimistic about extending that time. “I’ve always wanted to sing there, so if it works out well, I might stay,” she shared.
Folsom also looks forward to Heldridge’s future as an opera performer.
“Grace is very strong mentally and has the ability to persevere; you have to be able to take lot of criticism,” she explained. “But she is also a sensitive person, which is very important in being able to bring different characters to life. She can take a concept and run with it.
“I’m really proud of her and all she’s accomplished,” Folsom beamed. “She’s definitely deserving of this career and has a great chance.”
To learn more and watch videos of Grace Heldridge performing, visit graceheldridge.com.
This article originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
