Michelle Mariel Mariposa is a Filipino-Chinese mezzo-soprano who is passionate about communicating truth and beauty through music, poetry, and rhetoric. 

Michelle is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Voice and Opera Performance at the Bienen School of Music in Northwestern University under W. Stephen Smith. At Northwestern, Michelle is a recipient of the Eckstein Merit Scholarship. Michelle has performed as soloist for the Bienen Contemporary/Early Vocal Ensemble and the Bienen Contemporary Music Ensemble.  

In March 2023, Michelle was a finalist at Shreveport Opera's Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year Competition. Michelle is a recipient of the Italian American Executives of Transportation Vocal Scholarship from the Casa Italia 2022 Vocal Scholarship Competition, and the 2022 Farwell Award from the Musicians Club of Women. She was also a semi-finalist in the 2022 James Toland Vocal Arts Competition (Tier 1) and the 2022 MIOpera International Vocal Competition (Emerging Artist). Her other achievements include winning 2nd place at the Sugree Charoensook International Music Competition (Voice - Open category) in June 2021, winning 1st place and Best Interpretation of the Contest Piece at the National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) Senior Voice Category in 2019. 

Michelle's recent operatic roles include Third Lady in Mozart's "Die Zauberflöte," Calbo (cover) in Gioachino Rossini's "Maometto Secondo" with Teatro Nuovo, the Medium in Chris Cerrone's "In a Grove," and Madame Flora in Gian Carlo Menotti's "The Medium" with the Northwestern Opera Theater. She is set to perform Ruggiero in Handel's "Alcina" in Winter and Spring of 2023. Michelle's concert credits include Handel's Messiah, Mozart's Coronation Mass, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, and Bach's Magnificat and Cantata 182. Her repertoire spans early music, operatic and oratorio literature, art songs, and premieres of new music by living composers. 

In the summer of 2023, Michelle will be an Apprentice Artist at Santa Fe Opera.