eralded for her rich, satiny voice as much as her impeccable characterizations, mezzo-soprano Cindy Sadler is a force to be reckoned with on the operatic scene. Anthony Tommasini of the New York Times called her "wonderful" as Baba the Turk where she "made every phrase count", and the press raved about her standout performance in which she "surpassed expectations" (NJ Star-Ledger), "made you forget she was a bearded lady ... you loved her from the first note" (Philadelphia Inquirer), and "took this role to the bank, to several financial institutions, and then to various jewelers" (Princeton Packet). Recently, Ms. Sadler has also received acclaim for her "impressive range and warm quality" as the Marquise de Berkenfield in Opera Idaho’s Fille du Régiment; her performance as Katisha in Syracuse Opera's production of The Mikado, where she "forged the perfect marriage of acting and vocal expression"; for her role as the the Principessa in San Antonio Opera's Suor Angelica, where she "commanded the stage"; as well as for her “riotous” and “saucy” Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro at Des Moines Metro Opera, her Mrs. McLean in Susannah with the same company, and her “scene-stealing” turn as the Pigeon and the Snail in the American premiere of Jonathan Dove’s The Adventures of Pinocchio with Minnesota Opera. Other recent engagements include covers of Stephanie Blythe as Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera and Katisha in The Mikado at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She sang Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana with San Antonio Opera opposite Andrea Bocelli as Turiddu and Veronica Villaroel as Santuzza. She returned to Austin Lyric Opera as Mère Jeanne, also covering Madame de Croissy, in Les dialogues des Carmélites, and made her Indianapolis Opera debut as a “strongly intoned” Erda in Das Rheingold. She also joined the Brazos Valley Symphony, appearing in the Verdi Requiem.Other recent engagements include covers of Stephanie Blythe as Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera and Katisha in The Mikado at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro with Kentucky Opera, and a return to San Antonio Opera as Gertrude in Romeo et Juliette. Upcoming performances include company debuts as Gertrude in Romeo et Juliette with Florida Grand Opera, and The Old Baroness in Vanessa with Sarasota Opera.
s. Sadler’s operatic repertoire embraces a wide range of comedic and dramatic roles, including Baba the Turk, Dame Quickly in Falstaff , Mrs. Patrick de Rocher (Dead Man Walking), Amneris (Aida), Augusta Tabor (The Ballad of Baby Doe), Fricka (Die Walküre), Erda (Das Rheingold and Siegfried), Tituba (The Crucible), and Berta (The Barber of Seville). She has performed in venues such as Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Pacific, Opera Boston, Arizona Opera, the Hollywood Bowl, Austin Lyric Opera, Fort Worth Opera, the Austin Symphony, Central City Opera, and Chamber Opera Chicago.
s. Sadler's professional debut occurred in 1991 concerts at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She went on to win international acclaim for her performances in Arizona Opera's Ring Cycles in 1996 and 1998, where as the only cast member to sing in all four operas she “knocked ‘em dead” (Kenneth LeFave, Opera News)” with her “opulent mezzo” (Dorothy Stowe, Deseret News) and her dramatic presence: "with Cindy Sadler, a rich-voiced, pungent Earth Goddess, true frisson was achieved" (American Record Guide).
n accomplished concert artist and recitalist, Ms. Sadler counts among her repertoire the Beethoven 9th with the Youngstown Symphony, the Verdi Requiem with the Brazos Valley Symphony and many other venues, Elijah with the Choral Arts Society of Austin, TX, Handel's Messiah with the Austin, San Antonio, and Laredo Symphonies as well as many other venues, the Mozart Coronation Mass with the Laredo Symphony, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis and the Bruckner Mass in F Minor with the Austin Civic Chorus, and the Duruflé and Mozart Requiems and the Elgar Sea Pictures with the St. Edward’s University Orchestra.
s. Sadler is a graduate of the University of Texas, where she studied with veteran Metropolitan Opera star Mignon Dunn. She currently studies with Gregory Lamar. She resides in Austin with her husband, Eric, and their two opera-hating Dachshunds, Samson and Dalila. Please visit www.cindysadler.com for more information.
