Praised for having a voice that has been called “a force of nature sound with natural ease” (Parterre Box) and having a “rich, warm, and open tone” (Wooten | OperaWire), Ariel Emma has been making her way through the opera circuit with a smile and a song to sing.

Beginning her 2025-2026 season, Ariel began with a recording project with Jupiter Opera and was able to be a part of the Jupiter Sampler II project. On this project, she recorded a scene as the role of Dawn in Misha Dutka’s The Transcendent and also joined the ensemble for a scene in Rosśa Crean’s Cuthbert and the Holy Birds.

Ariel Emma then returned to Thompson Street Opera Company to star in their fall double bill. She portrayed the role of the Bartender in the world premiere of The Day the Dogs Began to Talk and the Chicago premiere of People vs. American Cheese as Audre Lorde.

Afterwards, Ariel Emma makes her company debut with the Lyric Opera of Chicago | Lyric Unlimited as the cover of Katie in Katie: Strongest of the Strong for the fall season and will be returning to the company and the role in Spring 2026.

Following the fall tour, she presented a recital in conjunction with the Montpelier Arts Center as one of the winners of their recital competition. Alongside pianist and collaborator Joshua Cessna, they performed works by Strauss, Heggie, and several others.

At the start of the new calendar year, she made an appearance with Nathan Felix Production to partake in an immersive opera called The Meta-Opera. She portrayed he roles of Museum Staff 2 and Delilah 2.

Up next, Ariel Emma will be making her company debut with the Buffalo based opera company Sotto Voce. She will be starring as Santuzza in their production of Cavalleria Rusticana. Additionally, later this summer, she will be returning to Buffalo to work with Sotto Voce once more- this time covering Leonore in Beethoven’s Fidelio.

Before heading back to Buffalo, Ariel will be making a role debut with Chicago City Opera in their production of Der Rosenkavalier in the role of Marianne Leitmetzerin and covering the role of the Marschallin.

In her 2024-2025 season, Ariel was engaged with Fresco Opera to be a soloist in their Opera at Olbrich series to present standard operatic repertoire including "Summertime" by Gershwin. Following her appearance with Fresco Opera, Ariel was invited to make her role and company debut with Chicago City Opera in the rarely produced The Order of the Virtues by Hildegard von Bingen. She portrayed the role of Victory under the baton of Alexis Enyart and the directional guidance of Rose Freeman.

Afterwards, Ariel headed up to New York City for the privilege to work with Killer Queen Opera as a part of their cabaret series. In a recital entitled SPEECHLESS, she presented works by Mahler and Rachmaninov in an intimate and personable setting.

To conclude her fall portion of her 2024-2025 season, Ariel made her role and company debut with Great Lakes Operetta in their production of The Magic Knight. She portrayed the role of Ortrud and was a soprano soloist as a part of their double bill of The Magic Knight and a concert of Victor Herbert’s greatest hits.

Starting off the new year, Ariel Emma made her role debut as Edith in Pirates of Penzance with Great Lakes Operetta for their 2025 New Year charity kick off. Following this role debut, Ariel made several role debuts along with a company debuts. She performed the titular role in Suor Angelica with the Valkyrie Ensemble and portrayed the role of Kendra Smith with Hub City Opera and Dance for their production of The Cook-Off.

Rounding out her 2024-2025 season, Ariel returned to Thompson Street Opera Company to cover the role of Voice in the contemporary work Groundwater by composer Flannery Cunningham.

During the 2023-2024 season, she made her Third Eye Theatre Ensemble debut as Magda in The Consul this fall. Critics raved about her performance and noted how she possessed a “warm, rich, powerful voice, capable of great subtlety” [Wisniewski | New City Stage] while taking on the lead role.

Following her powerful performance in Chicago, Ariel headed down to Florida to join St. Petersburg Opera as a Studio artist. She made her company and role debut portraying the Blue Lady in their production of Pinocchio. She then returned to Lakeland Opera for their winter show of Madama Butterfly. During this time, she covered the title role (Cio-Cio San) and the role of Kate Pinkerton. Additionally, Ariel took the stage as Enyo in the contemporary comedic opera entitled We’ve Got Our Eye on You with Thompson Street Opera in Chicago’s north side.

During the summer, Ariel was invited to join Central City Opera’s illustrious young artist program as an Apprentice Artist. During her time, she covered the role of Minnie in Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West and made her role and company debut as the 1st Nursemaid in Kurt Weil’s Street Scene.

Ariel Emma started the 2022-2023 season with a return to Chicago Opera Theater where she took part of the ensemble in the rarely performed King Roger by Szymanowski. At the start of the new year, she headed down to Florida to join a wonderful production of Cavalleria Rusticana with Lakeland Opera. It was there that she was able to cover and sing her first Santuzza. Afterwards, she headed to NYC where she was able to perform in another world premiere. Working with Overtone Industries, Ariel was able to join in their production of ICELAND by portraying the role of SUN. Additionally, she was able to work with Bronx Opera in their production of Dialogues of the Carmelites where she covered and performed the role of Madame de Croissy. Afterwards, she joined the little OPERA theater NY in their double bill of Highway 1, U.S.A. and Down in the Valley where she covered the role of Mary in Highway 1, U.S.A.

Immediately after her New York minute, she joined Glow Lyric Theatre in their production of A Handmaid’s Tale where she performed the role of Moira. This was a momentous occasion as she became the first Caribbean-American singer to portray the role in the states. Finishing off the season, she worked with Fresco Opera during their Opera at Olbrich Concert Series as a featured soloist. She presented pieces centralizing in Mozart, including the famous “Sull’aria” from Le nozze di Figaro.

Staying busy during the 2021- 2022 season, Ariel had many different debuts and engagements. Starting the season in Vermont, Ariel headed to Opera Company Middlebury to join their Young Artist Program. While there, she participated in Opera Company Middlebury's opera Maid of Orleans by Tchaikovsky. In this process she covered the roles of Joan and Agnes while also doing scenes from Bellini's Norma and Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro.

Following shortly after, she was seen at Sarasota Opera for a second season as an Apprentice Artist in their 2022 Winter Festival. In addition to being in the chorus for all four of the operas for the festival (Les pêcheurs de perles, Tosca, La fille du régiment, and Attila), she also presented scenes from Mozart's Cosi fan tutte (Fiordiligi), Ponchielli's La Gioconda (Gioconda), and Puccini's Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio San). Additionally, she presented the world premiere of Quamino’s Map with Chicago Opera Theater and had the privilege of covering the role of Elizabeth Alumond.

Wrapping up the season, Ariel returned to Opera Steamboat in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, as a Resident Artist. While she was there, she covered the role of Mimi in their mainstage production of Puccini's La boheme and performed the role of Jenny from the late Stephen Sondheim's Company. She took on the roles of Portia Mansfield, Margery Mansfield, and America Marshall in a brand new commissioned opera workshop entitled Welcome to the Madness.

Ariel is currently based in Chicago, IL.