Described as a “honeyish mezzo,” Sarah Mattox has sung principal roles with Seattle Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Chicago Opera Theatre, Lyric Opera Cleveland, Amarillo Opera, Eugene Opera, Tacoma Opera and many others. Favorite roles include the title characters in Carmen and Cendrillon, Dorabella in Cosi fan Tutte, Ottavia in L’Incoronazione di Poppea, and the Witch in Hansel and Gretel. She received special acclaim for her debut as Feodor in Seattle Opera’s Boris Godunov. The Seattle Times said “…it was newcomer Sarah Elouise Mattox, in the ‘pants role’ of Boris’ son Feodor, who raised eyebrows all over the Opera House with her believable, lifelike acting and her well-schooled voice.” In Cleveland, the Beacon Journal called her “…a rich-toned mezzo-soprano who came to life as Dorabella.” Also at home on the concert stage, Mattox has made several appearances at Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony. She has also been a soloist with the Northwest Sinfonietta, Cascade Festival of Music, Seattle Baroque Orchestra, Portland Baroque Orchestra, Helena Symphony, Bainbridge Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet, the Walla Walla Symphony, Portland Chamber Orchestra, Eugene Concert Choir and many others. Mattox has made four appearances as a concert soloist at Carnegie Hall, twice in John Rutter’s Magnificat under the baton of the composer. Her chamber music group, TangleTown Trio, champions music by living composers, performing frequently across the country, and on radio and television.

 

Also a composer, Mattox was named a 2014 John Duffy Composers Institute Fellow for her chamber opera Heart Mountain. The piece is based on the journal of Kara Matsushita Kondo, who was born in the Yakima Valley and incarcerated with her family in Wyoming during WWII.  Vespertine Opera Theater presented a full workshop of Heart Mountain in July of 2015 under the baton of Grammy Award winning conductor Stephen Stubbs. Mattox won the 2013 Boston Metro Opera International Composers' Competition OPERA PUPPETS Mainstage Award for her song cycle, "Rumpelstiltskin and the Falcon King." Called "entertaining, exuberant," and "just incredible," her compositions have been praised for their "natural sense of phrasing and flow," and "the just plain beauty of the music."