LIZ CASS

Liz Cass is an acclaimed mezzo-soprano, producer, educator, and arts leader whose work as a performer is at the heart of her creative life. Based in Austin, Texas, she brings more than 25 years of professional experience to opera, concert, and contemporary performance, with a particular passion for new works, collaborative artistry, and creating meaningful connections between artists and audiences.

A versatile performer equally at home in opera, concert, and contemporary repertoire, Liz’s recent roles include Dinah LaFarge in the world premiere of Lardo Weeping with LOLA (Local Opera Local Artists), and Mrs. Lowe and Dora in Kevin Puts’ The Manchurian Candidate with Austin Opera. Her performance in Graham Reynolds’ Pancho Villa From a Safe Distance earned her the Austin Critics Table Award for Best Singer. She has also appeared at the PuSh Festival and PROTOTYPE Festival and has performed as a soloist with Austin Symphony Orchestra, Chorus Austin, Austin Classical Guitar, Austin Chamber Music Center, La Follia, and Panoramic Voices. Internationally, she performed Handel’s Messiah in Guatemala for more than a decade, from 2008–2018.

Liz is particularly committed to championing contemporary opera and expanding the possibilities of the art form. Through LOLA, which she founded and serves as Executive Producer, she has helped develop and produce new works by Austin and Texas-based artists, including commissioning Peter Stopschinski and Terry Galloway’s Lardo Weeping. Her work as both performer and producer gives her a unique perspective on the full creative process from developing new work in the studio to bringing it to the stage and into the community.

Alongside her performance career, Liz serves as Executive Director of Armstrong Community Music School, where she has taught voice since 2004. Her leadership in arts education and her ongoing work as a performing artist are deeply interconnected: whether performing, teaching, producing, or building opportunities for other artists, she is committed to creating vibrant, accessible, and artist-centered musical experiences.

Recent and upcoming engagements include performances in Austin and San Antonio, appearances with One Ounce Opera as Tardigrade in Elizabeth Gartman and Melisa Tien’s Forever, Handel’s Messiah in Guatemala, and concerts in Vancouver, Austin, and Kansas City.

Liz earned her degree in Vocal Performance from the UMKC Conservatory, where she studied with Inci Bashar and previously with Dr. Rebecca Folsom. She continued her professional studies at the Aspen Music Festival, Seagle Festival, Central City Opera, and Fort Worth Opera.