Biography
Spanish mezzo-soprano Nancy Fabiola Herrera is acclaimed by audiences and critics alike for the “beauty of her voice, her outstanding musicality, and her commanding stage presence.” Having performed more than 60 roles, the Spanish mezzo is one of today’s most relevant artists.
She received the 2018 award for her entire career granted by the Ópera Actual magazine.
It was here that her career took off after her debut at the Metropolitan Opera House, playing the role of Carmen. Nancy has been acclaimed by audiences and critics alike due to her “hypnotizing” interpretation, appearing in emblematic theaters around the world such as Covent Garden, the Bolshoi, Caracalla, Verona, Sydney, Tokyo, Rome, Berlin, and Munich, among many others.
Thanks to being recipient of the Pepita Embil Award at the Operalia Competition, she has been able to collaborate with Plácido Domingo in many different projects.
Her repertoire ranges from Baroque to Contemporary music. She has a special predilection for Bel Canto, French works, and Zarzuela, a genre she is especially passionate about.
Nancy is constantly evolving as an artist; her voice and character have led her to take on roles such as Eboli in Don Carlo, Leonore in La Favorite (both in their Italian and French versions), Delilah in Samson and Delilah, La Principessa de Bouillon in Adriana Lecouvreur, Bernarda Alba in La Casa de Bernarda Alba, and Herodias in Salome, all of which received great critical acclaim.
Her versatility has also led her to perform an extensive symphonic repertoire, and she has a very active career as a recitalist. She has also produced her own shows such as Gitanas and Alma Mía.
In 2023 she was nominated as Best female lyric artist at the Talia Awards given by the Spanish Academy of Performing Arts for her portrayal of Sarah Nottinghan in Roberto Devereux at Teatro de la Maestranza.
She also sang La Vida Breve by de Falla with the ONE (Spanish National Orchestra) and a new show called Maléfica in Madrid, where she portrayed some of the mezzo evil characters in Opera. She also performed Verdi´s Requiem with the OCRTVE Orchestra under Pablo Gonzalez´s baton and the Noches de Cabaret at the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus in Gran Canaria.
In the 2021/2022 season, she debuted the role of La Principessa de Bouillon in Adriana Lecouvreur at the Ópera de Oviedo in the production by Rosetta Cucchi and Maestro Daniele Callegari, with excellent reviews “…Herrera, with her mastery in all registers, was impeccable in her aria “Acerba voluttà,” with her vocal strength and theatrical expressiveness on full display.”
She performed a recital at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires with pianist Marcelo Ayub, and the closing concert of the Palau de la Música season in Valencia with the Orchestra of Valencia and Pablo Heras Casado. She also toured with her new show, Alma mía, with the Septeto de Solistas from Valencia.
She participated in the Gran Gala de Zarzuela de Año Nuevo at the Auditorio Nacional de Madrid with Plácido Domingo, among others. She performed several concerts with Karel Marc Chichon and the OFGC, including a concert in Homage to Alfredo Kraus and Ravel’s Shéhérazade. She also participated in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Maestro Juanjo Mena at the Auditorio Nacional, and in a tribute to Saint-Saëns at the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus. She also performed the original 1925 version of Amor Brujo, staged in collaboration with Ópera Hispánica in New York.
She performed, to wonderful reviews, the role of Sara in Roberto Devereux at the Maestranza in Seville , Mahler´s Third Symphony with the Gran Canaria Philarmonic Orchestra and the Gala Nancy Fabiola Herrera & Guets at the Tenerife Auditorium.
In the 2020/2021 season, she debuted the role of Azucena in Il Trovatore in Gran Canaria with ACO, and the zarzuela La Tempranica in the new production by Giancarlo del Mónaco and Maestro Gómez Martínez, both with excellent reviews.
In Oviedo, she sang La Revoltosa in the new production by Curro Carreres, directed by Miquel Ortega. She performed with the OCNE at the Focus Festival conducted by Maestro David Afkham, along with the OFGC, in Ravel’s Shéhérazade with Karel Mark Chichon, with the RTVE in Mozart’s Requiem with Maestro Pablo González, Gala with the ROSS at the Maestranza with soprano Ainhoa Arteta, and a Christmas Concert at Teatro de la Zarzuela with soprano Yolanda Auyanet. She premiered Schönberg’s Gurre-Lieder with the OBC in Barcelona with Vasili Petrenko and reprised Monsalvatge’s Las Canciones Negras with the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra at the Canarias Music Festival with Fabio Luisi. She returned to present her recital, Noches de Cabaret, at the Panticosa Festival with Mac McClure and reprised the role of Bernarda Alba at the Teatro Cervantes in Malaga and at the Tenerife Opera Festival.
In the 2019/2020 season, she sang in Samson and Delilah at the Maestranza in Seville, Bernarda Alba at the Teatro de la Zarzuela, La Favorite at the Cervantes in Malaga, Giulietta in The Tales of Hoffmann in Beijing, Paula in Florencia en el Amazonas at the Houston and Washington Opera houses, Gitana in El Gato Montés in Los Angeles, and debuted l’Italiana in Algeri at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and Herodias in Salome at the Metropolitan Opera House.
In 20, we will see her in: The Noches de Cabaret recital at the Teatro Pérez Galdós in Gran Canaria with Mac McClure,. She will also be in Trato de favor by Lucas Vidal and Boris Izaguirre (world premiere) at the Teatro de la Zarzuela, conducted by Emilio Sagi, and Verdi’s Requiem with the OCNE and Cherubini’s Medée at the Teatro Real in Madrid in the new production by Paco Azorín,and her return to the MET in a new production of Florencia en el Amazonas as Paula, among others.
Among her most recent recordings are Salud from La Vida Breve by Falla with the BBC in Manchester under the direction of Juanjo Mena for the Chandos label, and Rosario from Goyescas by Granados with the BBC in London under the direction of Giuseppe Pons for the Harmonia Mundi label.