Soprano MARCÍA PORTER has performed with several opera companies including Chautauqua Opera, Dayton Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Chicago Opera Theatre, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. She has essayed such roles as Mrs. Hayes (Susannah), Pamina (The Magic Flute), Princess Elisa (Paganini), Lucy (Treemonisha) and St. Answers (Four Saints in Three Acts). Her credits also include Malwina (Der Vampyr), Camilla Pocket (Miss Havisham's Fire), Mimi (La Bohème) and a role written for her for Dayton Opera's world premiere of Adolphus Hailstork's Paul Laurence Dunbar: Common Ground.

Porter, an active concert artist and recitalist, made her New York Solo Recital Debut in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in 2005. The soprano has also performed in Italy (Rome and Siena), São Paolo, Brazil, at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago and numerous other venues throughout the United States. Recent and upcoming engagements include performances of Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Penderecki’s Credo, Mozart’s Requiem, Rossini’s Stabat Mater and recitals in New Mexico, Tennessee, Georgia, and Virginia. In July 2007 the soprano traveled to Beijing, China as the soprano soloist for performances of Poulenc’s Gloria.

A Rotary International Cultural Ambassadorial Scholar, Porter has won several other awards and honors. In 2004 she was awarded the winner of the NATS Artist Award Competition, which is the highest honor the National Association of Teachers of Singing gives to a performer and is awarded once every two years. Other awards include the Metropolitan Opera Central Region, Jessye Norman Graduate Fellowship in Voice, Opera Carolina Young Artist Recital Program Award, and the Farwell Award.

Ms. Porter is currently an Assistant Professor of Voice at the Florida State University. She holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in voice performance from Northwestern University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in performance from the University of Michigan, where she studied with famed Metropolitan Opera singer Shirley Verrett. Previous teachers include Margaret Harshaw and Carmen Mehta. Porter’s current research interests focus on the classical vocal music of Brazil.