Mezzo Soprano Chrystal E. Williams
Praised by Opera News as “fiery and gorgeous,” mezzo-soprano Chrystal E. Williams has graced the stage nationally and internationally for a wide range of operatic roles and as a sought-after recitalist. As a concert soloist, Ms. Williams has appeared with the Cairo Symphony Orchestra (Egypt), Norrköping Symphony Orchestra (Sweden), Springfield Symphony, Boston Modern Orchestra Projects, Virginia Symphony, Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, New Jersey Master Chorale and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (UK) under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle. She made her Philadelphia Orchestra debut under Yannick Nézet- Séguin in Bach’s Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich, BWV 150. March 2024 will mark Ms. Williams’ Carnegie Hall debut in a world premiere written for the duo and American Composers Orchestra by John Glover and Kelley Rourke.
Lauded as a “‘”mezzo-soprano of conscience,” Ms. Williams uses her vocal platform to unabashedly break stereotypes and be a voice for the voiceless. She continues to foster unity, peace, and understanding through music via her duo Forrópera, created in 2016 with Brazilian composer and accordionist Felipe Hostins. Her ingenuity and gifts have been acknowledged by numerous organizations. The Chrystal E. Williams Scholarship, in its twentieth year, was founded by Ms.Chrystal E. Williams in 2004 to help students wishing to pursue a career in the performing arts. Chrystal E. Williams is an alumna of the Academy of Vocal Arts. She holds a Master of Music degree in Opera Performance from the Yale School of Music and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Voice Performance from Carnegie Mellon University.
