Nancy Markeloff
Marcellina

     Mezzo-soprano Nancy Markeloff is a versatile performer critically praised for her beautiful, satisfying singing and finely nuanced characterizations. She is delighted to be returning to Shreveport Opera for the third time in this season’s The Marriage of Figaro, having thoroughly enjoyed her roles as the imperious Mrs. Pearce in last year’s My Fair Lady and the dragon-slaying Third Lady in 2002’s The Magic Flute. The chance to work with wonderful friends and colleagues, not to mention the fabulous food at Yeero!!! Yeero!!!, puts SO high on her list of favorite gigs.
     Nancy’s impressive vocal range easily encompasses both contralto and mezzo-soprano repertoires. She is adept at serious drama as well as comic zaniness and has performed more than thirty opera and musical theater roles for the internationally acclaimed Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston, Houston Grand Opera, Opera in the Heights, Shreveport Opera, Amarillo Opera, St. Cecilia Chamber Music Society, Moores Opera Center, Lone Star Lyric Theater Festival and others. She has received personal commendations for singing excellence from legendary opera greats Marilyn Horne and Peter Schreier.  
     Nancy’s critical accolades include such plums as "a terrific performance, full of life and understanding" (composer Libby Larsen), "beautiful singing and keenly etched characterizations" (The Houston Chronicle), "…Markeloff's delightfully daffy performance as the Witch was the show's highlight" (Amarillo Globe-News), and “...excellent voice, clear diction…absolutely first class singing that could take her anywhere in opera.” (11th International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival judge). She was nominated Best Female Voice, Best Character Actress, and Best Female Performer for her star turn as Katisha at the 2004 International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in Buxton, England. She also wowed the Brits with her hilarious rendition of Anna Russell's Anaemia's Death Scene. Favorite roles include Begbick in Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny, the Witch in Hansel and Gretel, Katisha in The Mikado, Baba in The Medium, Madame d'Urfé in Casanova's Homecoming, and Dame Quickly in Falstaff.
      A seasoned concert soloist, Nancy has sung with the Bach Society of Houston, Ars Lyrica Houston, Houston Masterworks Chorus, The Woodlands Symphony Orchestra, and in university faculty and departmental concerts in Houston and New Orleans. She is a founding member of and core singer with Col Canto Art Song and Vocal Chamber Music, creates graphic designs, program translations and surtitles for many of its concerts, and assists with publicity. She is assistant director of the innovative new Lone Star Lyric Theater Festival, designed and maintains its website, and was a starring singer in its 2007 inaugural season.
      At Moores Opera Center in Houston, she was assistant stage director for L’Italiana in Algeri in 2002 and created English surtitles for La Rondine from her own translation. She also wrote, produced and cued surtitles for MOC's The Dangerous Liaisons, Hansel & Gretel, Peter Grimes, Abduction from the Seraglio and for the University of Houston's Shostakovich Festival in 2000.
     Originally from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Nancy has resided in Houston, Texas since 1972. In 1999 she graduated with highest honors with a degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Houston where, as a "mid-life student," she studied voice, opera and stagecraft with Katherine Ciesinski and Buck Ross. A longtime domestic engineer, sometime commercial artist, and mother of two grown sons, she shares her home with two guinea pigs, too many dust bunnies and her amazingly patient husband and mentor, Bob.