BIOGRAPHY
Mezzo-soprano Brooke Larimer, hailed as "charismatic" by OperaWire, brings vibrant energy to every performance. Pittsburgh in the Round lauds her voice for its "richly colored" quality and "nicely timed comedic ability," while Syracuse.com describes her stage presence as nothing short of "lusty." Her dynamic career spans centuries of inherited repertoire through premieres of contemporary American works.
In 2023, Brooke returned to Opera on the James, reprising the role of Zita in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi with the Lynchburg Symphony. With Little Opera Theatre of New York, she covered Jennie in Down in the Valley. She rang in the new year with BARN Opera in her home state of Vermont as Ruth in Gilbert and Sullivan's beloved Pirates of Penzance.
The previous year, Brooke created the role of La Poncia in the world premiere of La Casa de Bernarda Alba with Cleveland Opera Theater. During the pandemic, she pivoted to innovative performance formats, recording Mistress Quickly for Social Distance Opera's Falstaff and lending her voice to excerpts of Maia Aprahamian's operas for Bagaduce Music Center. Brooke also appeared in the immersive, COVID-friendly walking tour production Voyeur: The Windows of Toulouse-Lautrec, bringing Delibes's famous flower duet to grateful audiences in the West Village.
As Anna (Second Woman) in Death by Classical's production of Dido and Aeneas, directed by Alek Shrader, she was praised for "singing with passion while sprawled on the floor…à la Netrebko." With Syracuse Opera, she performed Filippyevna in Eugene Onegin, Flora in La traviata (for which she was celebrated as a "stand-out"), and Mercédès in Carmen. Brooke made her role debut as the Old Prioress, Mme. de Croissy, in Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites as a guest artist with Baldwin Wallace University. With Marble City Opera, she performed Elizabeth in Griffin Candey's comedic Sweets by Kate, and Auntie in Peter Grimes with Madison Lyric Stage. She also appeared as Mrs. Soames in Ned Rorem's operatic adaptation of Our Town with Raylynmor Opera in Peterborough, NH.
A frequent performer with Resonance Works in Pittsburgh, Brooke joined the company for their inaugural production as a “vibrant” Lady-in-Waiting in Macbeth. After finding success in that role, she went on to perform the alto solos in Das Lied von der Erde and one of her favorite operatic characters, Mistress Quickly, in their 2017 production of Falstaff. She also appeared as a member of the ensemble in their award-winning Vegetable Puppet Opera Movie, Verdi by Vegetables.
Brooke made her European debut in the Hungarian premiere of William Mayer's A Death in the Family at Szeged National Theatre. Produced by Center for Contemporary Opera and Armel Music Festival, Brooke performed the roles of Aunt Sadie and Older Boy #1 as a member of the ensemble cast. She reprised these roles in the French premiere at Opéra d'Avignon.
Not content to just perform, Brooke co-founded Boston Opera Collaborative, an artist-driven company dedicated to fostering new talent and providing artists with opportunities to hone their skills on and off stage. With this company, Brooke took on the title role in Carmen, Bradamante in Alcina, Mistress Quickly in Falstaff, and Phobia in Seymour Barab's farcical La Pizza Con Funghi.
As a two-time Tyler Young Artist at Opera on the James, she performed Dorabella in Così fan tutte and Mercédès in Carmen. She also delighted younger audiences as Ernesto in the touring children's opera The Billy Goats Gruff. Her time as a young artist also included a stint with Opera New Jersey, where she performed as a bridesmaid in Le nozze di Figaro, and two seasons with Natchez Festival of Music.
Born and raised in Vermont, Brooke's musical training began at home with her music-loving parents. She studied the flute through high school and won spots in All State and All Eastern choirs. She went on to earn Voice Performance degrees from both Vanderbilt University and The Boston Conservatory.
Brooke sings alto in the professional quartet at Round Hill Community Church in Greenwich, CT, and serves as Head of Foundation Services for both The Aaron Copland Fund for Music and The Amphion Foundation. She is co-host of the Indie Opera Podcast and is certified as an ADHD coach.
Brooke lives in the Bronx with her rescue mutt, Cindy.
In 2023, Brooke returned to Opera on the James, reprising the role of Zita in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi with the Lynchburg Symphony. With Little Opera Theatre of New York, she covered Jennie in Down in the Valley. She rang in the new year with BARN Opera in her home state of Vermont as Ruth in Gilbert and Sullivan's beloved Pirates of Penzance.
The previous year, Brooke created the role of La Poncia in the world premiere of La Casa de Bernarda Alba with Cleveland Opera Theater. During the pandemic, she pivoted to innovative performance formats, recording Mistress Quickly for Social Distance Opera's Falstaff and lending her voice to excerpts of Maia Aprahamian's operas for Bagaduce Music Center. Brooke also appeared in the immersive, COVID-friendly walking tour production Voyeur: The Windows of Toulouse-Lautrec, bringing Delibes's famous flower duet to grateful audiences in the West Village.
As Anna (Second Woman) in Death by Classical's production of Dido and Aeneas, directed by Alek Shrader, she was praised for "singing with passion while sprawled on the floor…à la Netrebko." With Syracuse Opera, she performed Filippyevna in Eugene Onegin, Flora in La traviata (for which she was celebrated as a "stand-out"), and Mercédès in Carmen. Brooke made her role debut as the Old Prioress, Mme. de Croissy, in Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites as a guest artist with Baldwin Wallace University. With Marble City Opera, she performed Elizabeth in Griffin Candey's comedic Sweets by Kate, and Auntie in Peter Grimes with Madison Lyric Stage. She also appeared as Mrs. Soames in Ned Rorem's operatic adaptation of Our Town with Raylynmor Opera in Peterborough, NH.
A frequent performer with Resonance Works in Pittsburgh, Brooke joined the company for their inaugural production as a “vibrant” Lady-in-Waiting in Macbeth. After finding success in that role, she went on to perform the alto solos in Das Lied von der Erde and one of her favorite operatic characters, Mistress Quickly, in their 2017 production of Falstaff. She also appeared as a member of the ensemble in their award-winning Vegetable Puppet Opera Movie, Verdi by Vegetables.
Brooke made her European debut in the Hungarian premiere of William Mayer's A Death in the Family at Szeged National Theatre. Produced by Center for Contemporary Opera and Armel Music Festival, Brooke performed the roles of Aunt Sadie and Older Boy #1 as a member of the ensemble cast. She reprised these roles in the French premiere at Opéra d'Avignon.
Not content to just perform, Brooke co-founded Boston Opera Collaborative, an artist-driven company dedicated to fostering new talent and providing artists with opportunities to hone their skills on and off stage. With this company, Brooke took on the title role in Carmen, Bradamante in Alcina, Mistress Quickly in Falstaff, and Phobia in Seymour Barab's farcical La Pizza Con Funghi.
As a two-time Tyler Young Artist at Opera on the James, she performed Dorabella in Così fan tutte and Mercédès in Carmen. She also delighted younger audiences as Ernesto in the touring children's opera The Billy Goats Gruff. Her time as a young artist also included a stint with Opera New Jersey, where she performed as a bridesmaid in Le nozze di Figaro, and two seasons with Natchez Festival of Music.
Born and raised in Vermont, Brooke's musical training began at home with her music-loving parents. She studied the flute through high school and won spots in All State and All Eastern choirs. She went on to earn Voice Performance degrees from both Vanderbilt University and The Boston Conservatory.
Brooke sings alto in the professional quartet at Round Hill Community Church in Greenwich, CT, and serves as Head of Foundation Services for both The Aaron Copland Fund for Music and The Amphion Foundation. She is co-host of the Indie Opera Podcast and is certified as an ADHD coach.
Brooke lives in the Bronx with her rescue mutt, Cindy.
updated July 2024