Mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford’s instrument was heady and bittersweet; her appearance in the Tanglewood season-concluding performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is much anticipated.

Mozart Requiem with Boston Symphony Orchestra

Tamara Mumford brought wonderfully rich tone to the mezzo-solos.

Mahler's Third Symphony with Los Angeles Philharmonic

The mezzo-soprano for Sunday’s performance was Tamara Mumford, whose dark voice lent natural weight to her solo in the fourth movement; yet there was a radiant calm to her singing, as she sat just above the brushing whispers of the orchestra with her plaintive cries of “O mensch.” She sang with a smoldering focus in the following movement, providing a stark contrast to the bright clarity of the cries of “Bimm! Bamm!” from the Brooklyn Youth Chorus.

Mahler's Third Symphony with Los Angeles Philharmonic

Orsini is a trouser role, here sung by the charismatic mezzo Tamara Mumford, who has an aristocratic middle range, dusky depths and great confidence as an actress. Her “Nella fatal di Rimini” is the first aria of the opera; dark, intense and suspenseful, it establishes a sense of dramatic urgency that runs through the work.

Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia at Caramoor

As Orsini, close friend of Gennaro, Tamara Mumford gave a dazzling performance. Looking both dashing and beautiful, and singing with a luxurious tone and great ease, Ms. Mumford earned the roars of approval she received at the curtain call.

Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia at Caramoor

It’s the most dynamic role on stage, and Tamara Mumford sang beautifully, with a dark and shining tone

L'Amour de Loin at the Metropolitan Opera

...the majestic calmness of Tamara Mumford’s Martha, all lyrical phrasing and robust chest tones.

The Gospel According the the Other Mary with San Francisco Symphony

Jennifer Zetlan, Jennifer Johnson Cano, and Tamara Mumford sparkled as the three Rhinemaidens. Mumford in particular stood out as Flosshilde, showing off a forceful, burning mezzo-soprano that she could fill out beautifully where her part called for a more plush sound.

Das Rheingold with the New York Philharmonic

Mumford, wigged and costumed to look convincingly male, has a luscious mezzo and an appealingly direct delivery. Many of the Pilgrim’s vocal lines end with downward motion and a final word or syllable that is spoken rather than sung, a sort of last-minute Sprechstimme. It’s a striking technique that Mumford incorporated naturally and expressively.

L'amour de Loin at the Metropolitan Opera

Mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford was notably outstanding as the pilgrim, handling long and often times challenging passages of Sarriaho’s score with control, elegance, and distinct style.

L'amour de Loin at the Metropolitan Opera

Rossini did write some astonishingly lovely numbers for Arsace’s scenes, including a sequence of a prayer for the sheltering shepherds and a nostalgic lament for the young prince in the second act that would be highlights of any Romantic era opera. This and the rest of Arsace’s long role mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford sang with melting lyricism with particular splendor in the many low-lying phrases taking her into the depths beyond low C.

Aureliano in Palmyra

Also in Anna Bolena is the stunning mezzo Tamara Mumford in the trousers role of Smeton. Mumford is a singer who should be better known and opera companies should be clamoring for her services. She sings with a clarity of tone in her deep mezzo voice that sets her apart from many counterparts whose voices sound muddy and unfocused. 

In Praise of Healthy Voices

Tamara Mumford brought wonderfully rich tone to the mezzo-solos.

Mahler's Third Symphony with The Los Angeles Philharmonic

The mezzo-soprano for Sunday’s performance was Tamara Mumford, whose dark voice lent natural weight to her solo in the fourth movement; yet there was a radiant calm to her singing, as she sat just above the brushing whispers of the orchestra with her plaintive cries of “O mensch.” She sang with a smoldering focus in the following movement, providing a stark contrast to the bright clarity of the cries of “Bimm! Bamm!” from the Brooklyn Youth Chorus.

Mahler's Third Symphony with The Los Angeles Philharmonic

Orsini is a trouser role, here sung by the charismatic mezzo Tamara Mumford, who has an aristocratic middle range, dusky depths and great confidence as an actress. Her “Nella fatal di Rimini” is the first aria of the opera; dark, intense and suspenseful, it establishes a sense of dramatic urgency that runs through the work.

Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia at Caramoor

As Orsini, close friend of Gennaro, Tamara Mumford gave a dazzling performance. Looking both dashing and beautiful, and singing with a luxurious tone and great ease, Ms. Mumford earned the roars of approval she received at the curtain call.

Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia at Caramoor