Lincoln, Nebraska, native Adrienne Dickson, mezzo soprano, received her B.F.A in music theatre from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, her M.M. in opera performance from the Boston Conservatory and her D.M.A in vocal performance from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Some of her operatic roles include Sister Helen in Dead Man Walking, the Duchess of Plaza-Toro in The Gondoliers, the Old Baroness in a semi-staged version of Vanessa, Madame Lidione in Dialogues of the Carmelites, Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro, Augusta and Mamma McCourt in The Ballad of Baby Doe, the title role in Julius Caesar, Mrs. McClean in Susannah, Dame Carruthers in Yeomen of the Guard, the Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas, Miss Todd in The Old Maid and the Thief, Domina in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. She won her division of both the West-Central Regional NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) auditions and the Nebraska State NATS auditions. She has also won the Nebraska state auditions for the NATS Artist Award Competition.
She has also been the alto soloist in classic works such as Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Mass in B-flat and Lord Nelson Mass, Schubert’s Mass in A, Beethoven’s Mass in C, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Mozart’s Mass in C and Requiem (February 2022), Dan Forrest's Jubilate Deo, and was thrilled to sing her first Verdi’s Requiem (as the mezzo-soprano soloist) at the Lied Center in Lincoln in 2013. In addition, she has been a featured soloist for the Omaha Symphony/Opera Omaha Choral Collaborative, Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra, Abendmusik and Abendmusik Youth Masterworks Festival and Omaha’s Cathedral Arts Project. She was also a charter member of the Omaha Chamber Singers and has sung with the vocal chamber ensemble Résonance. Dickson also enjoys performing and recording with the professional chamber choir Sounding Light.
While in Boston, Dickson was a featured soloist for the Reagle Music Theatre’s Christmas show. In addition, she has toured with local Lincoln choirs as both soloist and choir member to the Czech Republic, Latvia, England, Sweden, Norway and Denmark and has also toured across the Midwest. She has also performed with the Wagon Train Project as the soloist in Wickedness in both the Lincoln and in the New York City productions. She has given multiple recitals and benefit concerts, including a Valentine’s fundraiser for Opera Omaha, where she was the mezzo-soprano soloist.
Dickson currently teaches voice, vocal pedagogy, diction and film music for Concordia University and York College. She is a member of the Abendmusik Board, the Metropolitan Opera National Council Nebraska auditions and the Hixson-Lied Fine and Performing Arts College Alumni Board. She is a past province officer of the international music fraternity Sigma Alpha Iota and a past governor of Nebraska NATS. She resides in Lincoln with her husband IV and their two beautiful boys Christopher and Bryn.