Isabel Leonard

Isabel Leonard is a Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano celebrated for her compelling performances on the world’s leading operatic stages and concert halls. After making her professional operatic stage debut as Stéphano in ‘Roméo et Juliette’ in February 2007, Isabel Leonard went on to captivate audiences globally. Prior to her debut, Leonard earned significant early recognition, winning the Marilyn Horne Foundation Vocal Competition in 2005, the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation Award in 2006, and a Movado Future Legends award in 2006. She further solidified her foundation by earning her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the prestigious Juilliard School, where she studied under Edith Bers.

Beyond opera, Leonard has also showcased her versatility in concert settings. She has performed with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the New York Philharmonic, including prominent roles in concert versions of Leonard Bernstein’s ‘Candide’ and ‘L’enfant et les sortilèges.’ A notable collaboration included a series of well-received soprano/guitar-duet recitals with Sharon Isbin from 2014 to 2016, featuring a standout performance at Zankel Hall within Carnegie Hall. Her exceptional artistry has been honored with multiple Grammy Awards, first in 2014 for Best Opera Recording for ‘The Tempest,’ followed by another in 2016 for Best Opera Recording for ‘L’enfant et les sortilèges.’ Leonard’s string of accolades continued into the new decade, earning her third Grammy Award in 2021 for Best Classical Compendium for ‘From the Diary of Anne Frank & Meditations on Rilke.’ Expanding her artistic reach, she made an appearance in the 2023 Oscar-nominated film ‘Maestro,’ where she performed in a reproduction of a Leonard Bernstein performance. Isabel Leonard continues to be a highly sought-after artist, celebrated for her compelling performances that grace the world’s leading operatic stages and prestigious concert halls.