A Colorado native, soprano Marissa Howard has been heralded for her “silvery coloratura voice” and comedic interpretation.  Most recently, Marissa was featured in Victory Hall Opera's Documentary "YAP's" which premiered in May. Recently, the documentary was selected as a finalist for the Albuquerque Film Festival. This upcoming season, she joins The Chicago Symphony for "A Night Of Opera with Riccardo Muti," and Poulenc's Gloria.

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This past season, Marissa joined Chicago Opera Theater in September for their North American premier of Päer's "Leonora". In addition she worked alongside Bellissima Opera and Working in Concert for their production of Lita Grier's Spoon River Anthology in the historic home of poet Edgar Lee Masters. In 2025, she joined Opera Saratoga for their outreach team touring upstate New York with the production of "Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World." Shortly after, she placed third in the MIOpera's International Vocal Competition and performed with the company for a celebratory recital. 

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In previous seasons, she joined Evanston Opera's production of Le Chalet as its title character, Mousaverse Opera in their productions of Cavalleria Rusticana and Ariadne auf Naxos, and worked as a soloist with Chicago Opera Theater for their Vanguard Composer workshop.​ She was also a featured artist with Cecilia Opera in the crossover cabaret concert series, stared in Mousaverse's concert series as a featured soloist, served as a recording artist with GIA Productions, and joined MIOpera’s production of The Pirates of Penzance. In previous seasons she’s worked with Utah Festival Opera, La Musica Lirica, Memphis Light Opera, Cedar Summerstock Theater, Varna International, Up North Vocal Institute, Miami Classical Music Festival, and Memphis Youth Symphony. In addition, she was a semifinalist in the NATSAA National Competition in 2022 as well as a finalist for the Harold Haugh Light Opera Competition.

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She received her bachelor’s degree at Roosevelt University where she sang alongside the Chicago Sinfonietta and Chicago Symphony Chorus alike under the tutelage of Thomas Studebaker and Cynthia Clarey. Marissa went on to receive her master’s degree at the University of Memphis where she made her professional debut with Opera Memphis as Cousin in Madama Butterfly. Marissa currently resides in Chicago where she studies under Amy Owens.