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Ms. Mikheyenko has been performing in the Bay Area since graduating with a Masters Degree in Voice from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, she immigrated to the U.S. and studied classical voice and music with Professor George Shirley at the University of Michigan School of Music in Ann Arbor. Although classically trained, Maria is equally at home singing opera, operetta, musical theater, cabaret, jazz, rock, Russian and world music, and her passion is to cross boundaries, defy genre expectations, and collaborate with artists from all walks of life.
Opera roles include Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Lucy in The Telephone (Bay Area Summer Opera Theatre Institute), Ida in Die Fledermaus (Bay Shore Lyric Opera), La Poésie in Les Arts Florissants (Opera Lafayette), Drusilla in L’incoronazione di Poppea (BASOTI), Second Woman and First Witch in Dido & Aeneas, Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Second Touriere in Puccini’s Suor Angelica, (Berkeley Opera), and Saffi in Johann Strauss’ operetta, Der Zigeunerbaron (The Gypsy Baron), with the Austrian American Mozart Academy in Salzburg.
In the world of contemporary music, Maria has had the opportunity to premiere several roles written for her, in chamber operas by Bay Area composer Lisa Scola Prosek. These include Salai (Leonardo da Vinci’s lifelong servant and pupil) in Leonardo’s Notebooks, Lucifer in Machiavelli’s Belfagor, a War Contractor in Iraq in Trap Door, and Alexandra Andreyevna (Svetlana Stalin's Nanny) in Daughter of the Red Tzar. Learn more about Lisa and her work here!
Other world premiere roles include a Quark Sister in John Bilotta’s award-winning short opera Quantum Mechanic and Mrs. Peters in Trifles, based on the 1916 play by Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Susan Glaspell. Ms. Mikheyenko has appeared as a guest soloist for new works with the San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra
As a member of the Grammy-nominated Pacific Edge Voices, she has had the honor and privilege of performing with music legends Meredith Monk (Songs of Ascension at Stanford Lively Arts), Dave Brubeck (Songs of Praise CD on Dorian Label), and Bobby McFerrin (San Francisco Jazz Festival premiere of VOCAbuLarieS).
As a multi-faceted artist, she thrives in collaborating with groups that cross the boundaries of traditional opera and challenge stereotypes. Opera Frontier redefined the way audiences experience opera, with guerilla-style performances, mash-ups, and classics presented in contemporary, off-beat settings.
For two glorious seasons Maria joined the cast of The Bracebridge Dinner, a prestigious annual holiday pageant since 1927, performing at the historic Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite Valley.
A passionate interpreter of the wonderful music and characters of Kurt Weill, Ms. Mikheyenko had the good fortune to play The Professor in Happy End with San Francisco Cabaret Opera and multiple roles in the celebrated revue at Masquers Playhouse production, Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill.
She is proud to be a resident composer and voice-over artist with PuppetART Detroit Puppet Theatre, now in its 19th season in Detroit. PuppetART was the recent recipient of the 2015 Wilde Award (which honors professional theater across all of Michigan) for Best Theatre for Young Audiences and Best Choreography.
Maria recently made a journey of discovery to Italy to study and receive a certification in Commedia dell'arte with Maestro Antonio Fava at his Scuola Internazionale di Commedia dell'Arte in Reggio Emilia.
As a member of Her Rebel Highness and Curated Entertainment, an elegant yet edgy music theater company, Maria performs original historical works with an energized fusion of drama, dance, classical, pop and rock music. This innovative troupe also performs a cappella walkabouts at weddings, anniversaries, birthday parties and other special events! Click Here for Audio & Video Samples & Book Us for your next Event!
When not on the stage, Maria enjoys teaching voice and music to kids and adults of all ages, and is on faculty at the Albany Music School. For information on private voice lessons, please visit the Voice Lessons page.
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, she immigrated to the U.S. and studied classical voice and music with Professor George Shirley at the University of Michigan School of Music in Ann Arbor. Although classically trained, Maria is equally at home singing opera, operetta, musical theater, cabaret, jazz, rock, Russian and world music, and her passion is to cross boundaries, defy genre expectations, and collaborate with artists from all walks of life.
Opera roles include Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Lucy in The Telephone (Bay Area Summer Opera Theatre Institute), Ida in Die Fledermaus (Bay Shore Lyric Opera), La Poésie in Les Arts Florissants (Opera Lafayette), Drusilla in L’incoronazione di Poppea (BASOTI), Second Woman and First Witch in Dido & Aeneas, Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Second Touriere in Puccini’s Suor Angelica, (Berkeley Opera), and Saffi in Johann Strauss’ operetta, Der Zigeunerbaron (The Gypsy Baron), with the Austrian American Mozart Academy in Salzburg.
In the world of contemporary music, Maria has had the opportunity to premiere several roles written for her, in chamber operas by Bay Area composer Lisa Scola Prosek. These include Salai (Leonardo da Vinci’s lifelong servant and pupil) in Leonardo’s Notebooks, Lucifer in Machiavelli’s Belfagor, a War Contractor in Iraq in Trap Door, and Alexandra Andreyevna (Svetlana Stalin's Nanny) in Daughter of the Red Tzar. Learn more about Lisa and her work here!
Other world premiere roles include a Quark Sister in John Bilotta’s award-winning short opera Quantum Mechanic and Mrs. Peters in Trifles, based on the 1916 play by Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Susan Glaspell. Ms. Mikheyenko has appeared as a guest soloist for new works with the San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra
As a member of the Grammy-nominated Pacific Edge Voices, she has had the honor and privilege of performing with music legends Meredith Monk (Songs of Ascension at Stanford Lively Arts), Dave Brubeck (Songs of Praise CD on Dorian Label), and Bobby McFerrin (San Francisco Jazz Festival premiere of VOCAbuLarieS).
As a multi-faceted artist, she thrives in collaborating with groups that cross the boundaries of traditional opera and challenge stereotypes. Opera Frontier redefined the way audiences experience opera, with guerilla-style performances, mash-ups, and classics presented in contemporary, off-beat settings.
For two glorious seasons Maria joined the cast of The Bracebridge Dinner, a prestigious annual holiday pageant since 1927, performing at the historic Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite Valley.
A passionate interpreter of the wonderful music and characters of Kurt Weill, Ms. Mikheyenko had the good fortune to play The Professor in Happy End with San Francisco Cabaret Opera and multiple roles in the celebrated revue at Masquers Playhouse production, Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill.
She is proud to be a resident composer and voice-over artist with PuppetART Detroit Puppet Theatre, now in its 19th season in Detroit. PuppetART was the recent recipient of the 2015 Wilde Award (which honors professional theater across all of Michigan) for Best Theatre for Young Audiences and Best Choreography.
Maria recently made a journey of discovery to Italy to study and receive a certification in Commedia dell'arte with Maestro Antonio Fava at his Scuola Internazionale di Commedia dell'Arte in Reggio Emilia.
As a member of Her Rebel Highness and Curated Entertainment, an elegant yet edgy music theater company, Maria performs original historical works with an energized fusion of drama, dance, classical, pop and rock music. This innovative troupe also performs a cappella walkabouts at weddings, anniversaries, birthday parties and other special events! Click Here for Audio & Video Samples & Book Us for your next Event!
When not on the stage, Maria enjoys teaching voice and music to kids and adults of all ages, and is on faculty at the Albany Music School. For information on private voice lessons, please visit the Voice Lessons page.