Rachel Willis-Sørensen to Make Role Debut as Arabella at the Metropolitan Opera

Following her triumphant season opener as Thaïs in Toulouse, soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen continues her exciting 2025/26 season with another major role debut, this time in the title role of Richard Strauss’s Arabella at the Metropolitan Opera. Willis-Sørensen has earned particular praise for her Strauss interpretations; following her performance as the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier at Santa Fe Opera, the ABQ Journal noted she was “made for this.”

Joining her in this production are soprano Louise Alder as her devoted sister Zdenka and bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny as the wealthy landowner Mandryka. The production is conducted by Nicholas Carter.

Although this is Ms. Willis-Sørensen’s debut in the role, she is no stranger to Strauss, having also performed die Marschallin several times in Der Rosenkavalier, including at the Royal Ballet and Opera and Santa Fe Opera, and recorded a Strauss CD featuring Die Vier letzten Lieder, and the closing scene of his final opera, Capriccio. You can listen to the acclaimed CD here. 

Performances take place on November 10, 15, 18, 22, 25, and 29.

Tickets and additional information can be found here.

Photo: Lukas Beck