Julia Metzler is a highly sought-after classical singer, concert soloist, and session singer. Raised in a musical family that also runs the Metzler Violin Shop, her musical training began at an early age as a violinist.
Known for her versatility and large vocal rage, Ms. Metzler regularly performs both soprano and mezzo-soprano repertoire, from Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro to the title role in Madama Butterfly, and both the mezzo and soprano solos in Verdi’s Requiem.
Her other recent operatic roles include Vitellia in La Clemenza di Tito, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, Mrs. P in The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat, Ma in Mazzoli’s Proving Up, and the title role in Gustav Holst's Savitri.
As a roster member of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Ms. Metzler can frequently be heard performing at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. She has performed as a soloist with both the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Chorale, most recently in Bach’s B-minor Mass, Bach’s Magnificat, and Handel’s Messiah. Other solo credits include Verdi’s Requiem (UCLA Philharmonia), Haydn’s Stabat Mater (Pasadena Pro Musica), Dvorak’s The Spectre’s Bride (Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra), and Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy (San Francisco Choral Union).
Julia Metzler (left) singing with the Hangzhou Symphony Orchestra.
Ms. Metzler has been awarded top prizes in competitions including the Metropolitan Opera National Council Awards (National Semi-Finalist), the Pasadena Opera Guild Competition (Second Place), the Pacific Musical Society Competition (First Place), the Mondavi Center Young Artists’ Competition (Grand Prize), the Palm Springs Opera Guild Competition (Finalist), the Stewart Brady Competition (2nd place), and the Los Angeles Spotlight Awards (Grand Prize).
Julia Heron Metzler (center) as 2nd Lady in Die Zauberflöte.
A regular performer in China, she participated in the inaugural I Sing International Summer Festival, designed to introduce westerners to singing in Mandarin. She has since performed at The National Center for Performing Arts, the Hangzhou Grand Theater, the Suzhou Culture and Arts Centre, and the Great Hall of the People in Tian'anmen Square.
Her Chinese music performances have brought her to international stages from New York’s Lincoln Center, to Paris at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. She was invited to sing on China's Lunar New Year Gala - the most widely viewed television broadcast in the world.
Ms. Metzler was a member of the Opera Santa Barbara young artist program and spent two summers attending Music Academy of the West. She holds degrees in vocal performance from San Francisco Conservatory of Music and UCLA. She resides in Los Angeles.
Recording/soundtrack credits:
• Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
• Disney’s Willow (TV series)
• Disney’s The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse
• Everything’s Gonna Be Okay (TV series)
• NPR’s 'From the Top’
• HBO Miniseries 'Masterclass’