Hailing from Granite City, Illinois, Sarah Pistorius is an award-winning mezzo soprano at the beginning of a promising international career. Soon to graduate with a Masters of Music in vocal performance from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Sarah has extensive experience both on the operatic stage and as a recitalist. Sarah was an Emerging Artist with Opera in the Ozarks, where she received the Mary Prudie Scholarship Prize, and performed in the Halifax Opera Festival. Operatic credits include Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro), Jo March (Little Women), Mrs. McLean (Susannah), Arnalta (L’incoronazione di Poppea), Sally (A Hand of Bridge), and Third Graduate (Street Scene). This year Sarah covered the role of Dido in the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland's production of Dido and Aeneas. 

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During her studies, Sarah has sung in several opera choruses including Poulenc's Les Mamelles de Tiresias (RCS 2019), Weill's Street Scene (RCS 2018), Prokofiev's The Fiery Angel (Scottish Opera 2017), Floyd's Susannah (Opera in the Ozarks 2017), Mozart's Don Giovanni (Opera in the Ozarks 2016), and Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci (Opera in the Ozarks 2016) among many others. 

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In concert, Sarah recently performed the alto solo in Bach's Magnificat with RCS orchestra and choir, conducted by Timothy Dean. Earlier this year, she performed a solo in Rued Langgaard's Music of the Spheres with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and RCS Voices, conducted by Thomas Dausgaard. This performance was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. She has also sung as a soloist in Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass, Vaughan Williams's Serenade to Music, Bach's Weihnachtsoratorium, and Britten's Hymn to St. Cecilia. 

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In 2019, Sarah was awarded first place in the Ramsay Calder Debussy Prize, singing a program of French song. Elsewhere in recital, Sarah has worked extensively with Live Music Now Scotland and pianist Alina Horvath as part of Alla Voce Duo. Alla Voce Duo has performed throughout Scotland in venues such as the Edinburgh Society of Musicians, National Galleries of Scotland, Ayr Gaiety Theatre, Aberdeen Music Hall, Paxton House, and The Usher Hall. As a chamber musician, Sarah has performed with Sirroco Wind Trio and pianist Geoffrey Tanti at St. Cecilia’s Hall and St John’s Episcopal Church in Edinburgh.  

 

Recently, Sarah has performed a socially distanced concert series with Winter Opera St. Louis and the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center. She sang opera arias, ensembles, and musical theater pieces.  

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Sarah received her Masters of Music in vocal performance at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland under the tutelage of Wilma MacDougall. She received her Bachelors of Music from DePauw University, studying under Caroline B Smith.