Introduction
Connecticut lyric soprano Michelle Murray Fiertek possesses a wide ranging repertoire for the concert stage. Equally at home with the intimacy of art song and the grandeur of opera, her dramatically powerful approach to the performance of vocal music has earned her both critical and popular acclaim. Her singing has been described as “Exemplary” (BBC Music Magazine).
Orleans Historical Society, Orleans, MA
Recital
Michelle is an accomplished recitalist, performing at venues across the country and in Spain. She made her Carnegie Hall debut with a solo performance of William Bolcom’s Cabaret Songs described as “First rate – engaging and authentic” in New York Concert Review. Her current recital interest is focused on Spanish and Latin American art song, and contemporary American art song.
Women Composers Festival of Hartford, Hartford, CT
Weill Recital Hall, New York, NY
Opera
Michelle was proud to have been nominated in the “Best Featured Actress in a Musical Production” category by Broadway World Connecticut for her performance as Miss Pinkerton/June Jinkins in Hartford Opera Theater’s double bill of The Old Maid and the Thief (Menotti) and An Embarrassing Position (Shore). Other opera roles have included Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte (Mozart), Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors (Menotti), Gertrud in Hansel and Gretel (Humperdinck), and Ann Putnam in The Crucible (Ward).
Rapture by David Wolfson – Hartford Opera Theater New in November, Hartford, CT
Triangle by Tony Solitro – Hartford Opera Theater New in November, Hartford, CT
Spanish Song
She has studied under such famed musicians as the late pianist Miguel Zanetti and mezzo-soprano Teresa Berganza as part of the celebrated Interpretation of Spanish Song program, as well as returned to the program in subsequent years as a guest artist. She continues to return to Spain to study with Jorge Robaina, pianist and vocal coach at the Escuela Superior de Canto in Madrid, and Patricia Caicedo, soprano and Latin American art song scholar, in Barcelona.
Teatro CajaGranada, Granada, Spain
Hartford Independent Chamber Orchestra, New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT
Recordings
As a recording artist Fiertek is proud to announce her newly released album of contemporary American art song through Albany Records titled Every Tiny Thing. She has previously released two albums on the Summit Records label under the name Michelle Murray: Blue: The Complete Cabaret Songs of William Bolcom and Arnold Weinstein, described as “exemplary” by BBC Music Magazine and named “CD of the week” by the Arizona Republic and KBAQ-FM, and The Juliet Letters.
Symphonic
Michelle has been a faculty and guest recital artist at venues including California State University, San Bernardino; Arizona State University; California State University, Long Beach; California Baptist University; Georgia Southern University; and The Hartt School, University of Hartford. She has also been a featured soloist in many large-scale choral works, including Fauré’s Requiem, Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Mass in C Minor, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Bach's B Minor Mass and Handel’s Dettingen Te Deum and Messiah with organizations such as Waterbury Symphony, New Haven Chorale, Con Brio Choral Society, Cypress Masterworks Chorale (CA), Pinnacle Presbyterian Church (AZ), and The Village Church (MA).
Bach B Minor Mass, Garden Grove, CA
Mozart Great Mass in C minor, K. 427 – Con Brio Choral Society, Old Lyme, CT