C O U R T N E Y R U C K M A N, soprano

[email protected] | 301.793.2446 | www.courtneyruckman.com

Praised for her "arresting vocalism" by the Spokesman Review, soprano Courtney Ruckman brings a rich and glinting voice to repertoire ranging from bel canto to contemporary opera. In recent engagements, she joined Shreveport Opera as Jessie (Masquerade) and covered the Four Heroines (Tales of Hoffmann) with Opera Orlando. In upcoming engagements, she joins Wilmington Concert Opera as Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) and later debuts with the Port Angeles Symphony in performances of Knoxville, Summer of 1915.

In recent seasons she debuted with the Imperial Symphony Orchestra as the soprano soloist in the Messiah and returned as First Lady in a staged production of Die Zauberflöte. She also appeared as an emerging artist with Nashville Opera, singing Frasquita (Carmen) and creating the role of Jessie (Masquerade) in the world premiere of Paterson's Three Way. She reprised the role with American Opera Projects for Three Way's New York City premiere and the cast album recording. Additional roles in her repertoire include Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Marzelline (Fidelio), Gilda (), the Youth (After Life), and Héro (Béatrice et Bénédict).

In concert she debuted with both the Walla Walla Symphony and Portland Chamber Orchestra as the soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah. She gave additional performances with the Portland Chamber Orchestra as the soprano soloist in Judas Maccabaeus. She performed a series of recitals at the Caramoor Festival which included the world premiere of Images de Noël (Theisen) and collaborated again with Theisen to give the world premiere performance of Klage at the International Saxophone Symposium.

The Maryland native is an alumna of the young artist programs of the Caramoor Festival and Central City Opera and was a Northwest Region finalist of the National Council Auditions.

C O U R T N E Y R U C K M A N soprano Gaithersburg, MD | 301.793.2446 [email protected] | www.CourtneyRuckman.com

ROLES Donna Anna Don Giovanni Wilmington Concert Opera 2019 Jessie Three Way (Paterson) Shreveport Opera 2019 First Lady Die Zauberflöte Imperial Symphony Orchestra 2019 Four Heroines* Les Contes d’Hoffmann Opera Orlando 2018 Jessie (NYC premiere) Three Way American Opera Projects 2017 Frasquita Carmen Nashville Opera 2017 Jessie (world premiere) Three Way Nashville Opera 2017 Marzelline * Fidelio Caramoor Festival 2016 Jessie (workshop) Masquerade (Paterson) American Opera Projects 2016 First Lady Die Zauberflöte Inland Northwest Opera 2015 Youth * (world premiere) After Life (Cipullo) Music of Remembrance 2015 Pamina Die Zauberflöte Pacific Northwest Opera 2015 Sophie Vashon Opera 2014 Gilda Rigoletto Pacific Northwest Opera 2013 Gilda * Rigoletto Inland Northwest Opera 2013 Maria The Sound of Music Opera Idaho 2013 Héro Béatrice et Bénédict Puget Sound Concert Opera 2013 Lucia * Lucia di Lammermoor Pacific Northwest Opera 2013 * cover CONCERT SOLOIST Knoxville, Summer of 1915 Barber Port Angeles Symphony 2020 Messiah Handel Imperial Symphony Orchestra 2018 Klage (world premiere) Theisen International Saxophone Symposium 2018 Recital Soloist Assorted Composers Caramoor Festival 2017 Messiah Handel Walla Walla Symphony 2017 Recital Soloist Assorted Composers Central City Opera 2015 Judas Maccabaeus Handel Portland Chamber Orchestra 2014 Exsultate, Jubilate Mozart Skagit Symphony 2013 COMPETITIONS AND AWARDS Partners for the Arts, Inc. Vocal Awards Competition Encouragement Award 2016 MONCA, Northwest Region Finalist 2014 Coeur d’Alene Symphony Young Artist Competition Winner 2013 MONCA, Western Canada District Encouragement Award 2012 TRAINING Nashville Opera Mary Ragland Young Artist Program 2017 Caramoor Bel Canto Young Artist Program 2016 Central City Opera Studio Artists Program 2015 University of Maryland (Bachelor of Music, Vocal Performance) 2008 TEACHERS COACHES CONDUCTORS DIRECTORS Richard Zeller (current) Timothy Cheung John Baril Paul Curran Delores Ziegler Rachelle Jonck William Boggs Michael Ehrman Nancy Zylstra Craig Ketter Yaacov Bergman John Hoomes Caren Levine Eckart Preu Aaron Nicholson Shelby Rhoades Adam Turner Erich Parce Jay Rozendaal Dean Williamson Gabriel Preisser

C O U R T N E Y R U C K M A N, soprano

[email protected] | 301.793.2446 | www.courtneyruckman.com

Critical Acclaim

Caramoor Festival - Beethoven in Song Recital

"...soprano Courtney Ruckman showed off not only an attractive voice with a rich lower register and glinting upper register, but the unique ability to build a complete emotional arc throughout a song."

-Opera Teen, Huffington Post

Inland Northwest Opera - Die Zauberflöte (First Lady)

"There are a number of secondary characters in "" who are nonetheless important to the action and vital to the success of a production. In this instance, they were all exceptionally well- performed. Special mention must be made of...the arresting vocalism of the First of the Three Ladies, Courtney Ruckman..."

-Larry Lapidus, Spokesman Review

Pacific Northwest Opera - Rigoletto (Gilda)

"You cannot help but fall in love with Courtney Ruckman as Gilda. Her voice quality was superb...her solos were magnificent."

-John French, Entertainment News, NW