Rising Opera Star Natalja Sticco Shines Bright

The word “Opera” is often associated with elegance, opulence, and luxury. While all those adjectives are fair descriptors, Latvian-born Mezzo-Soprano and classical music artist Natalja Sticco encourages listeners to dig deeper into the musical genre, immersing themselves in the emotive experience.

Boston-based since 2018, Natalja’s career has included many international performances. To date, she has appeared in thirty operas all over Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Growing up in Latvia, Natalja was always interested in performance, taking piano and music lessons by the age of five. By high school, she’d continued on the Pianist track when another passion caught her attention: singing. When it came time to consider college, Natalja obtained duel degrees in Music and Engineering. She says Latvia has a rich history of originating Operatic performers, which inspired her to uphold the tradition while doing something she loved.

Since relocating to the States, Natalja has performed in numerous cities across the nation. I ask if she has a favorite U.S. city she has performed in. “New Orleans [was] very impressive for me, because it was not what I was expecting…it has a European spirit. Boston, too…it was very close [to Europe], especially the North End.”

What’s next for this powerhouse star? Natalja continues to plan on touring and releasing music. She released her latest crossover single, “My Love”, on Spotify and Apple Music July 2020. While the track evokes a more mainstream sound, Natalja isn’t turning her back on Opera.

“It was an experience for me, to be honest…This track, why I chose it…it was an experience both technically and as a performer”, she says.

With years of international experience under her belt and the new crossover single, the sky is truly the limit for this powerhouse singer.