Lauded for her "soaring lyric soprano capable of heart-stopping soft effects” (Philadelphia Magazine), Italian-American Ashley Milanese is quickly emerging as an exciting young presence in the operatic world. In 2023-2024, Ms. Milanese joined Sarasota opera as the title role in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor and made her company debut with Opera in the Heights as Mimì in La bohème, in which she was praised for her “luscious voice, velvet with impeccable diction” (Houston Press). In the 2024-2025 season, Ms. Milanese will cover the role of Gilda in Rigoletto with the Metropolitan Opera, and will sing a leading role with Sarasota Opera.

 

In recent seasons, Ms. Milanese made her New Orleans Opera debut as the Sandman in Hansel and Gretel, joined the LA Phil with National Children’s Chorus of the United States of America as the soprano soloist in Britten’s War Requiem at Walt Disney Concert Hall, and joined On Site Opera as Giorgetta in Il tabarro. She also covered Johanna in Opera Omaha’s production of Sweeney Todd and joined the roster of The Metropolitan Opera where she made her debut as Pit Singer - Soprano 2 in Dean’s Hamlet.

 

Ms. Milanese was notably part of Komische Oper Berlin’s touring production of Barrie Kosky’s Die Zauberflöte where she sang Erste Dame in Perth (Western Australia), Adelaide (Australia), Auckland (New Zealand), and the Mostly Mozart Festival (New York City). Ms. Milanese also enjoys a long-standing relationship with Teatro Regio Torino, where she recently was seen in roles including the High Priestess in Aida, Giannetta in L’elisir d’amore and Annina in La traviata. As an artist-in-residence with Teatro Regio Torino, she sang the roles of Ines in Il trovatore, Giannetta in L'elisir d'amore, Cugina in Madama Butterfly and Lisa in La sonnambula while also covering Elvira in L’italiani in Algeri and Carlotta/Vespina in Agnese. Additionally, she had the opportunity to perform as Annina in La traviata at the Ljubljana Festival.

 

Ms. Milanese’s most recent North American performances included Frasquita in Carmen, Erste Dame in Die Zauberflöte and Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro as an emerging artist with Opera Philadelphia. Additional operatic credits include Dede (A Quiet Place), Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Italian Singer (Capriccio), Manon (Manon), Yvette (La rondine), and Soeur Constance (Dialogues des Carmélites).

 

Passionate about contemporary music, Ms. Milanese has collaborated with many composers including Kevin Puts, Rene Orth, Tobias Picker, David T. Little, Daniel Schnyder and Nico Muhly. She has had the opportunity to cover lead roles in multiple operatic premieres including Lola in David Hertzberg's The Wake World and Bess McNeil in Missy Mazzoli's Breaking the Waves. Ms. Milanese was also the original Chan Parker and Aveline Mortimer in Opera Philadelphia’s workshops of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird and Elizabeth Cree, respectively.

 

Symphonic performances include operatic selections with the National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic/Wolf Trap Opera and Mainline Symphony Orchestra, Faure’s Requiem with Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with Allentown Symphony Orchestra.

 

Ms. Milanese participated in summer festivals and programs including Wolf Trap Opera Studio and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. She was named a winner of the 2018 Opera Foundation competition, receiving the Amber Capitol Scholarship and the residency with Teatro Regio Torino. She has also received awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions including being named a winner in the 2017 New Orleans and Puerto Rico district finals.

 

Ms. Milanese studied at The Juilliard School and Curtis Institute of Music where she completed her Bachelor of Music, Master of Music and her Artistic Diploma.