Acclaimed by critics for her portrayal as Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte in opera houses throughout the United States and Europe, Peter G. Davis of The New York Magazine writes,” Lorraine Ernest brought down the house with her spectacular arias.” Miss Ernest has performed this signature role with New York City Opera Metropolitan Opera Company, Pittsburgh Opera, Washington National Opera, and the Denver Symphony Orchestra under the distinguished baton of Marin Alsop, Opera Grand Rapids, Palm Beach Opera, Central City and the Volksoper of Vienna.
Her repertoire also includes a debut with The Opera Company of Philadelphia as Elvira in L’Italiana in Algeri which was also broadcast nationwide on PBS with a stellar cast including Stephanie Blythe, Juan Diego Florez and Arthur Woodley.
Other notable performances include her Carnegie Hall debut singing the role of Mademoiselle Jouvenot in the Opera Orchestra of Orchestra of New York’s concert-version of Adriana Lecouvreur, and a debut with Los Angeles Opera as Princess Tatishchev with Placido Domingo in Nicholas and Alexandra. Other roles include the title roles in Lucia di Lammermoor and Lakmé; Violetta in La traviata, Zerbinetta in Adriane auf Naxos, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Olympia in Les contes d’Hoffmann, Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare, Musetta in La bohème and Adele in Die Fledermaus.
In addition to her solo performing career, Lorraine enjoys teaching and has been on the voice faculties at Montclair State University, Seton Hall University and now The University of Oklahoma. Her students are performing on and off Broadway, with Utah Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera Young Artist Program, San Francisco Opera and companies throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States.
