Alison Trainer

Internationally acclaimed coloratura soprano Alison Trainer is a gifted singing actress, who has garnered top prizes in major vocal competitions and performed with opera companies, symphony orchestras, and on recital stages across the United States and Europe. She continues to gain recognition for her vocal beauty, sensitive and intelligent musicianship, and compelling stage presence. Between 2009-2017, Alison debuted many of her signature roles in Europe, such as Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos, Fiakermilli in Arabella, Gilda in Rigoletto, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Oscar in Un ballo in maschera, Lisa in Gräfin Mariza, and Walther in La Wally. For her portrayal of Fiakermili in Arabella, the St. Galler Nachrichten raved, “Completely amazing were the vocal acrobatics of Fiakermilli, sung by Alison Trainer with virtuosic and sparkling coloratura.” The Zürcher Zeitung declared that her performance as Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos was “riveting” and displayed “world-class coloratura.”

Before beginning her European career, Ms. Trainer performed as a soloist with New York City Opera, New Jersey Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Tulsa Opera, San Francisco Opera, Asheville Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Erie Philharmonic, Pennsylvania Symphony & Ballet, Sinfonie St. Gallen, and the National Chorale in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. For her performance as Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, the Baltimore Sun hailed Alison “a convincing actress with a voice of radiant beauty.” Both the New York Times and the Colorado Times have named Ms. Trainer “An artist to watch,” and Opera News raved that she was “Extremely sexy, with a lovely, clear voice,” in Die Zauberflöte.

An avid recitalist with a passion for innovative programming, Alison has performed in recital at the Tanglewood Music Festival, the Cleveland Art Song Festival, the Warebrook Contemporary Music Festival, San Francisco Opera Center’s prestigious Schwabacher Recital Series, Glimmerglass Opera, Josyln Art Museum in Omaha, Nebraska, Trinity Church on Wall Street, and the Southeastern Festival of Song. Dr. Trainer is a frequent judge of vocal competitions such as NATS and CS Music, and a sought-after masterclass clinician and recitalist at universities in the United States. Her workshops for young singers, Calling all Coloraturas, Tools for Fearless Performance, and Singing Blind, are gaining national recognition.

Alison Trainer was a national semi-finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Competition, first place winner in New York City’s Liederkranz Competition and the Heida Hermanns competition. She was the top prize winner in New York City’s Sullivan Foundation Competition, and the second-place winner of the national Opera Index Competition.  She earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Indiana University, a Master of Music degree from Cincinnati Conservatory, a Performer’s Certificate from the Opera Institute at Boston University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Stony Brook University. She has been an apprentice artist with Glimmerglass Opera and San Francisco Opera’s Merola program, and a vocal fellow at Tanglewood Music Festival and Aspen Music Festival.

Dr. Trainer will join the faculty of Boston University College of Fine Arts in the fall of 2023. She is currently an instructor at Interlochen Center for the Arts’ high school voice and opera summer program in Interlochen, Michigan.