“....Purely exciting and rich! ....great delivery of text....” ~Arte & Musica Magazine

“....Gorgeous, powerful voice!....” ~Dr. Juliana Bishop-Hoch, Loveland Opera Theatre

March 2012, mezzo soprano, Erica Papillion-Posey launched the first program in a three recital series entitled: An Evening of Classical Treasures. “….incredibly beautiful, engaging and warm….” were but some of the terms used by Dr. Arthur Jones, Founder & Chair Emeritus of The Spirituals Project, to describe her preparation and interpretation of the text.

Ms. Papillion-Posey is an impressive singing actress with an emerging national and international resume. On the opera stage or in recital— she is not to be missed. Her memorable 2010 performance with the Tusica Opera Festival inspired a return invitation for the 2011 season as the 3rd lady in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte and praised performances in Tarquinia, Civita di Bagnoregio, Castilione, Capranica and Ronciglione, Italy of the Pergolesi sacred beauty, Stabat Mater at the direction of Timothy Leon. Additionally, in 2011, she sang the role of Bizet’s Carmen and Annina from Verdi’s La Traviata in Bari, Italy. July, 2010, Ms. Papillion-Posey made her international debut as the Darth Vader of female operatic characters, La zia Principessa from Puccini’s Suor Angelica at the Tuscia Opera Festival, under the baton of maestro Stefano Vignati in Viterbo and Rome, Italy. In March 2010, she premiered the role of Lucretia in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia. In December 2009, Ms. Papillion-Posey was the featured alto soloist in Faith Lutheran’s production of Handel’s Messiah. In April 2008, Ms. Papillion-Posey secured the title role of the alluring seductress Carmen with the Lamont School of Music at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts, Denver, CO. Ms. Papillion-Posey’s early career roles include: her 2007 debut of Princess Akara, from Cherise Leiter and Leanna Kirchoff’s world premier of The Lady or the Tiger, an adaptation of the beloved short story by Franck Stockton, her 2006 -few fries short of a happy meal- rendering of Madam Flora, “Baba” from Giancarlo Menotti’s, The Medium, and Mozart’s man-swapping sister, Dorabella.

Ms. Papillion-Posey is most at home in 19th century, Romantic literature with celebrated composers Giuseppe Verdi, Georges Bizet, Camille Saint-Saens and Gaetano Donizetti. Her operatic specialty roles include: Carmen (Carmen); Dalila (Samson et Dalila), Amneris (Aida), Azucena (Il Trovatore), Suzuki (Madam Butterfly) Charlotte (Werther) and Adalgisa (Norma) and Dorabella (Così fan tutte) with concert repertoire including: Messiah, Verdi’s Messa de Requiem, Alto Rhapsody, Mahler Symphony No. 2 & No. 8, Cinco Canciones Negras, Beethoven Symphony No.9 and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater.

Ms. Papillion-Posey has been selected for master class appointments with: supreme character  mezzo, Judith Christin; distinguished operatic and art song baritone-bass Simon Estes, accomplished tenor, Donald Kaasch and Michael Capasso, founder and general director of DiCapo Opera.

Among her scholarly pursuits, Ms. Papillion-Posey holds a Master of Music degree and Advanced Certificate in vocal performance (both with honors and distinction) from the University of Denver, Lamont School of Music and a Bachelor of Music in voice from Metropolitan State College of Denver. She has been the recipient of many music awards and grants such as the: International Lyric Academy of Rome e Viterbo Award, AMICI of Denver Scholarship, Dante Alighieri Music Scholarship Competition, Jeff Bradley Music Scholarship Fund, E. Stoddard Young Endowment Scholarship, Stratton Faulhaber Scholarship, Coulter Norbloom Scholarship Grant and Joseph Docksey Career Development Fund Award, 2005 first place and 2006 second place, opera division winner of the Vocal Arts Competition of Colorado, to name a few. In 2010, Ms. Papillion-Posey, along with friends and fellow vocalist, Christie Connolley and Melissa Wimbish founded, directed and wrote extensively for www.Operagasm.com, a substantive, cutting-edge e-magazine focusing on current events, news, reviews, interviews, fashion and editorial contributions regarding opera and classical music.

Ms. Papillion-Posey currently serves as Director of Artistic Programs and liaison to Boettcher Boys and Girls Club of Aurora for Grand Design Inc., a cultural and performing arts group. She is also a member of the Italian Institute of Denver, L’Alliance Française de Denver, The Lamont Society and Friends of Music at Metro.