SARAh.benzinger
Soprano
ABOUT
ME!
Sarah Benzinger, soprano, is recognized for her expressive voice, vocal agility, and dynamic stage presence. She is steadily building a versatile career spanning classical and contemporary repertoire in opera, orchestral, and recital settings.
Based in New York City and Northwest Arkansas, Sarah has performed throughout the United States and internationally. Her operatic engagements include appearances in Carnegie Hall, Amore Opera, Garden State Opera, Libero Canto, New Music Theater Project NYC, West Bay Opera, Ozarks Lyric Opera, Opera Modesto, MiOpera, Opera Tijuana (Mexico), and Opera Nova (Costa Rica). She has also appeared in concert with the Oregon Bach Collegium, Lyric Opera of San Jose, Cascadia Concert Opera, and the Astoria Music Festival, and has performed at the historic Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado.
In spring 2026, Sarah expands her operatic repertoire with the roles of Contessa in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro and Agathe in Weber’s Der Freischütz, marking an exciting new chapter in her artistic development.
A committed advocate for new works, Sarah covered the role of Jane Bennet in the world premiere recording of Kirke Mechem’s Pride and Prejudice and continues to appear frequently in concert and recital performances. Her operatic repertoire includes Konstanze (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), and Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte).
Her artistry has been recognized in numerous competitions. She was a Regional Finalist in the Northwest Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and received both District Winner and District Encouragement awards in the MONC Auditions. She earned First Place in the Birmingham International Music Competition, The Music International Grand Prix in New York City and was a Finalist in the Opera Ithaca Competition, as well as a semifinalist in the Brava! Opera and James M. Collier Young Artist Competition.
Events
Upcoming Events
Weber & Berlioz: Der Freischütz ReimaginedThu, Apr 16Carnegie Hall
" Her offering of “Regnava nel silenzio” from Lucia di Lammermoor convincingly captured the spooked/unsettled quality of Lucia. Ms. Benzinger particularly excelled in the extreme high register, with exquisite control and pure tone without a hint of strain. She is a fine addition to the VAMS roster and has great potential."
"Splendidly notable is the third soprano who helps carry the night, Sarah Benzinger as the country maiden, Zerlina, with hair of ribbon-wrapped braids topped with a tierra of fresh flowers. Her vocals are pleasantly, lightly, even sweetly delivered, often coupled with a grin and air of coquettishness and strong hints of a natural naivite."
"Sarah Benzinger employs a full register of notes both playful in their flirting and remorseful in their begging of forgiveness in a duet that is a mixture of pouting, tickling, and kissing as Zerlina tries to convince Masetto that she still loves him even after being lured into Giovanni’s arms."
"Later, Maria Kaganskaya returns with Sarah Benzinger to draw one of the night’s biggest rounds of applause as they play Shepherd Milovzor and Shepherdess Prilepa, respectively, singing in robust melodies a playlet that – with the able help of Kiril Havezov (also Count Tomsky) – reflects the storyline of the greater opera in terms of a young girl turning away sure riches for the love of a more common man."
