I’m traveling back home to Chicago today after ringing in the New Year on the ski slopes with my family. I was breaking in a new ski suit, intermittently braving the moguls, and enjoying my favorite après treat in regular intervals: half hot cocoa, half coffee. It felt great to unwind and get away after an intense and rewarding stretch of work. When I get home, I’ll start earnest preparations for some real bucket-list singing projects coming up in early 2024, including:

My first Dido in Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas with Atlanta Baroque Orchestra
Returning to a familiar favorite: Couperin’s atmospheric Leçons de ténèbres for a special Lenten performance with dear friends on my “home turf”: St. Chrysostom’s Church in Chicago’s Gold Coast
Early Italian music in an imaginative program with early brass ensemble Incantare and the Newberry Consort alongside some of my favorite colleagues
Performing as Mary Magdalene in La Resurrezione under the baton of Maestro Christian Curnyn with Haymarket Opera (I cannot tell you how much I’m looking forward to singing this gorgeous aria… and this one!! Honestly they’re all iconic.)

It’s funny to think back to this time last year, how little of what happened for me professionally in 2023 I could've predicted! I’m sure that’s true for the New Year too, but there’s one very, very big thing that I know is coming: I’ll be recording my debut solo album this fall!!! This is a very exciting milestone for me and I can’t wait to tell you more about it soon:)

Highlights of 2023: debuts, jump-ins, making music with friends:

Gobs of fantastic chamber music with my dear friends at Ars Musica Chicago, including a recital a concert in honor of Bach’s birthday in March; a memorable summer concert with my dear friend, violinist Shelby Yamin on Chicago’s Rush Hour series; a relaxed, cheery performance at the Bach Week Festival gala; and a trip over to Michigan to perform on Michigan State University’s concert series.
I made my “winning” Kennedy Center debut with Opera Lafayette as Serpina in La servante maȋtresse
The Boston Globe named me the “breakout artist” of the Boston Early Music Festival. I performed in the two operas (Circé and Alcina), and as a soloist in Les Délices’ mainstage concert and with the BEMF orchestra in the Opening Night Concert, and covered the title role of Circé. Altogether, it made for the most challenging and rewarding stretch of my career to date.
I made my Haymarket Opera debut in my second production of Francesca Caccini’s Alcina of the season
I wrote about my jump-in experience for Early Music America, then just a couple months later…
Another jump-in with Boston Early Music Festival!! I was called a week before rehearsals began to jump in as Mauxalinda in The Dragon of Wantley. After an intense rehearsal period, we did four performances in Boston, Miami, and upstate New York. What a rush!!
Closer to home, I had a wonderful time performing with Elgin Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Andrew Lewis for Beethoven’s Mass in C and Margaret Bonds’ searing Credo.
Thanks so much for reading! I’m very grateful for your support and interest in my singing career. Wishing you all the best for a wonderful start to your New Year.
Best wishes,
Hannah De Priest