Paula in Florencia en el Amazonas
Emmy Award winner and Grammy nominated mezzo soprano, Suzanna Guzmán, is a native of East Los Angeles. An original Associate Artists of Los Angeles Opera, she has performed with them as a principal artist in over 40 main stage productions including Isaura (Tancredi) Cornelia (Giulio Cesare) Mrs Sedley (Peter Grimes) Mrs. Fox (Fantastic Mr. Fox-world premiere) Marcellina (Marriage of Figaro) La Gitana (El Gato Montes) Suzuki (Madama Butterfly) Empress Maria (Nicolas and Alexandra- world premiere) and working with opera legends Plácido Domingo, Mtislav Rostropovich, Galina Vishneskaya, Marilyn Horne, Alfredo Krouse, Patricia Racette, Renee Fleming, James Conlon, Michael Hampe, John Copley, Francesca Zambello, Julie Tamor, Sir Peter Hall, Federica Von Stade, Sam Ramey, Ailyn Perez, Stephen Costello, Elizabeth Futral, David Daniels, Philip Langridge, Anthony Dean Griffey, just to name a few.
She made her operatic debut in 1984-85 season with San Diego Opera as Emelia in Verdi's Otello and since then she has worked continuously with many opera companies around the world including Houston Grand Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Washington National Opera, Ludwigshafen Opera, Seattle Opera, Opera de Geneve, Dresden Opera, Opera Montpelier, Dallas Opera, Seattle Opera, Edinburgh Festival, Opera de Nice.
She returned to the States following her 2014-2015 appearance in the lead role of the ‘Art Banker ‘on the international tour of Michael Nyman’s Facing Goya. Conducted by John Kennedy. This multi city tour was performed in conjunction with the Spoleto Festival USA and the Singapore Arts Festival. "Suzanna Guzmán was strong as the Art Banker." New York Times;
“"The tender voiced Guzmán as the Art Banker!" Charleston Strait.
Guzmán reached international attention for her portrayal of the title role in Bizet’s Carmen with Houston Grand Opera’s MTV Carmen. Performed at Houston’s Miller Park for over 25,000 attendees. For this she was hailed by TIME magazine as “A fire-eating singing actress, devastatingly sexy!”, and the role became her signature role sung to acclaim in over 250 performances around the globe. A champion of original works, she has created and appeared in lead roles in new operas notably by Jake Heggie, Daniel Catan, Giancarlo Menotti, Nicholas Lell Benavides, Ian Krouse, Tobias Picker, Deborah Dratell. Her many awards and honors for music include . first place winner of San Francisco Opera competition, Guild Opera and as one of the twenty National finalists in the Metropolitan Opera National competition. She received a Grammy nod for the 2006 Best Classical recording of Carlos Chávez: Volume III with Southwest Chamber and Mexico's Tambucco Percussion Ensemble, a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Best Actress for her portrayal of the Mother in AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS at the Kennedy Center, directed by composer Giancarlo Menotti. Currently a COMPANY member of Yuval Sharon’s immersive opera theatre The Industry, she has created multiple roles in their wildly successful productions of HOPSCOTCH- the mobile opera, WAR OF THE WORLDS narrated by Sigorney Weaver, set in the streets of Downtown Los Angeles and GALILEO performed on the shores of Long Beach CA
An advocate of Arts Education she continues to perform her one-woman show, Don’t Be Afraid; It’s Just Opera! across the United States reaching over 500,000 inner city students to date, and is widely recognized for her mentorship to California students: 2012 Hispanic Scholarship Foundation’s “Mentor of the Year Award”, 2012 Spirit of California Award from the California State Latino Legislative Caucus, 2013 Mexican American Foundation's Woman of the Year. She serves on the USC Thornton Board of Mentor, the board of Pacific Arists and Singers Workshop (PACSAW) in the bay area on the Los Angeles Opera Education Committee, and received her honorary Doctor of Music from Occidental College in 2010, and a lifetime achievement award from The Nederlander Organization for service to the arts and community.
A parallel but equal career has been as radio and television host for the past two decades.
Ms. Guzmán served as host for the PBS television series OPEN CALL for over 50 episodes; hosted, wrote and produced the long running radio show Sunday Evening Opera; Opera Notes on Air; and LA Opera Live for over nine and a half seasons on 105.1 K-Mozart radio.
For the past ten seasons, she has served as principal host for the prestigious PBS SOCAL and Los Music Center Partnership the Annual Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration for which she has earned FOUR Emmy Award Nominations and two wins: 2019 and 2021 for Outstanding Live Special Event.
A member of Actors Equity Association since the 1980’s performing at theaters across the country Ms. Guzmán is currently perfoming as a company member of the Tuacahn Center for the Performing Arts 2024 season in Ivins Utah in the roles of Dowager Empress, ANASTASIA, Cora/Bulda in Disney’s Frozen and as the Judge in Jersey Boys.
If you made it this far...the greatest credit to her name and life is none of the above, but the most exceptional and beloved Conor and Devin and her entire theatre community of family.
Love.Home. Family.
