Acclaimed as “a soprano of extraordinary agility and concentration” by The New York Times, Mary Mackenzie has emerged as one of contemporary music’s most compelling storytellers. She is particularly known for her evocative chamber music performances and has appeared in concert across the United States. She was praised for her “sensational, epically unsettling” rendition of George Crumb’s Apparition by The Boston Globe and for her “mystifying” vocal effects by The Financial Times.

Examples of some of her most immersive work include several “one-woman” productions, such as the United States premiere of Héctor Parra’s Hypermusic: Ascension at the Guggenheim Museum, a monodrama based on modern theoretical physics with a libretto by Harvard physicist Lisa Randall. At the Bravo! Vail Festival, Ms. Mackenzie performed and designed the storyline for a cabaret-style, costumed, and staged rendition of De Leeuw – Im wunderschoenen Monat mai, a Pierrot-style “recomposed” adaptation of works by Schumann and Schubert, with new music collective Le Train Bleu. She has since performed the work with the Redlands Symphony and with The Knights ensemble. Chamber music collaborations include work with the American Contemporary Music Ensemble, the Chameleon Arts Ensemble, Ekmeles, the Da Capo Chamber Players, Collage New Music, Fulcrum Point, the Talea Ensemble, and many others.

In keeping with her contemporary bona fides, she has performed leading roles in world premieres of numerous operas, including as Sister Leonide (Mata Hari by Matt Marks), Despina (Cosi faran tutti by Jonathan Dawe), and Angelica (Cracked Orlando by Jonathan Dawe). Ms. Mackenzie finds particular enjoyment in the collaborative element of designing new work with the fresh ideas of emerging composers, and in that vein, has performed more than 20 premieres.

Ms. Mackenzie’s discography includes five albums featuring a bevy of modern composers. For Albany Records, she collaborated with composer John Harbison on Vocalisms: Songs of Daniel Crozier, John Harbison, James Primosch, and Ned Rorem; Closer to My Own Life with the Albany Symphony; and Songs After Hours (a world premiere). Her other recording work includes Cathedral Music with The 21st Century Consort, Louis Karchin: To the Sun and Stars on Bridge Records, and The Opera America Songbook.

As a soloist, Ms. Mackenzie has performed with the Albany Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, American Symphony Orchestra, the Juilliard Percussion Ensemble, and the Borromeo String Quartet. Of particular note are performances of Boulez’s Improvisations sur Mallarmé Nos. 1 & 2 for the composer’s 85th birthday celebration at Columbia University’s Miller Theatre, and Elliott Carter’s Warble for Lilac Time with the American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. She made her professional opera debut as Despina (Così fan tutte) at Madison Opera, and has appeared as the soprano soloist (Carmina Burana) with both the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra and the Phoenix Symphony.

Originally from Madison, WI, Mary Mackenzie holds degrees from The Manhattan School of Music (M.M.) and the Cleveland Institute of Music (B.M., Professional Studies Certificate). She lives with her husband Barry in Worcester, MA, where she enjoys running, baking, and photography.