Lisa Houston is a writer and classical singer from Berkeley, California. She is a frequent contributor to Classical Singer Magazine and the website San Francisco Classical Voice, and the founder of Singer’s Spirit, a website dedicated to cultivating the love and art of classical singing.
Lisa began her career as an actress in New York where she received her B.F.A. in Acting from New York University. After college, Lisa toured Europe in avant-garde theater, performing in the UK, France, Spain and Italy. Lisa received a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music after which she returned to California, where she has performed leading roles with opera companies throughout the state as well as performing as soloist with choral ensembles, symphonies and musical theatre companies. Lisa returned to Europe in 2010 where she performed in concerts and starred in Leipzig Kammeroper's productions of comic plays with music, and learning dramatic soprano roles with Kammersängerin Deborah Polaski.
Funnest gig ever: playing legendary diva, Astrid Varnay in Kammeroper Leipzig’s comic pastiche, “See You in Walhalla." Most meaningful gig: performing an arrangement of Song of Solomon by the Lithuanian Composer Laureate Anatolijus Šenderovas at the National Philharmonie in Vilnius, a century after her Jewish ancestors fled that region due to persecution.
She continues to freelance as a singer and recently enjoyed her first turn as stage director, with Berkeley Chamber Opera's Manon Lescaut.
Lisa's current pack includes a pint-sized papillon mix named "Gadget," and "Hayward," a black lab she found roaming the streets of Hayward.
Lisa began her career as an actress in New York where she received her B.F.A. in Acting from New York University. After college, Lisa toured Europe in avant-garde theater, performing in the UK, France, Spain and Italy. Lisa received a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music after which she returned to California, where she has performed leading roles with opera companies throughout the state as well as performing as soloist with choral ensembles, symphonies and musical theatre companies. Lisa returned to Europe in 2010 where she performed in concerts and starred in Leipzig Kammeroper's productions of comic plays with music, and learning dramatic soprano roles with Kammersängerin Deborah Polaski.
Funnest gig ever: playing legendary diva, Astrid Varnay in Kammeroper Leipzig’s comic pastiche, “See You in Walhalla." Most meaningful gig: performing an arrangement of Song of Solomon by the Lithuanian Composer Laureate Anatolijus Šenderovas at the National Philharmonie in Vilnius, a century after her Jewish ancestors fled that region due to persecution.
She continues to freelance as a singer and recently enjoyed her first turn as stage director, with Berkeley Chamber Opera's Manon Lescaut.
Lisa's current pack includes a pint-sized papillon mix named "Gadget," and "Hayward," a black lab she found roaming the streets of Hayward.