Deanne Meek is visiting associate professor of music (voice) at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
A native of the Pacific Northwest, she began her career as a mezzo-soprano soloist with the New York City Opera, and has since sung in many of the great opera houses of the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles Opera, The Dallas Opera, Washington Opera, English National Opera (London), Teatro Real (Madrid), Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie (Brussels), Opéra de Lyon, Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires), Théâtre du Châtelet (Paris), Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona) and the Teatro alla Scala (Milan).
Ms. Meek made her European debut as Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni in Dublin, Ireland, followed by performances throughout the United Kingdom in roles such as Rosina in The Barber of Seville, Meg Page in Falstaff and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier (Opera North), Ruggiero in Alcina (ENO), and the title role in La Cenerentola with Grange Park Opera. Her frequent collaborations with esteemed stage directors such as Sir David MacVicar, Robert Wilson, Krsysztof Warlikowski and Robert Carson have featured her in such roles as Hermia in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier, Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Ines in Il Trovatore and other roles performed in opera houses throughout Europe. She also champions more contemporary works, creating the role of Ma Joad in Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath with Minnesota Opera and performing roles such as Jo March in Little Women, Mrs. DeRocher in Dead Man Walking and Older Woman in Jonathan Dove’s Flight.
Highlights of the mezzo’s active concert engagements include appearances with the Seattle, Jacksonville, Alabama, American, Jerusalem and Luxembourg symphony orchestras, with frequent appearances with the 21st Century Consort at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. She enjoys performing the vocal chamber music and recital repertoire, and can be heard on the Albany Records, PS Classics, Opus Arte, Virgin Classics and Telarc labels.
A passionate multidisciplinary educator, in addition to her vocal studies Ms. Meek brings extensive experience in embodiment and physical narrative practices to her teaching. She is a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique, Yoga, the Gyrotonic Expansion System®, the Fitzmaurice Voicework®, Somatic Experiencing (SEP) and Inner Relationship Focusing (IRF). She also incorporates Feldenkrais, Viewpoints, Laban/Bartenieff, Lucid Body and other acting disciplines into her work with students. She has taught at Long Island University, Seattle University and the University of Washington, while also maintaining a private teaching studio both in person and online.
