FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Sarah Mesko, a mezzo-soprano praised by The Washington Post for her “consistently beautiful sound,” begins the 2016-17 season with a homecoming performance at the University of Arkansas Honors College.

Mesko’s concert, “Natural States: Songs on Nature and the Seasons,” with Ann Rye accompanying her on piano, will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6, in the Honors Student Lounge, Gearhart Hall, room 130. It is free and open to the public. Seating is limited so please RSVP and come early to reserve your seat. A light reception will follow the concert.

“It feels great to come back to my alma mater,” Sarah Mesko said. “I really feel connected to Fayetteville and the U of A –– those were formative years in my career.”

Mesko’s concert is the latest in the Honors College House Concert series, which invites everyone on campus and in the community to enjoy classical music in an intimate venue. For her performance, Mesko selected a varied mix of romantic and modern repertoire centered around the change of seasons to celebrate her home state.

“In Houston, where I live now, we don’t have any seasons! Growing up in Arkansas, that’s one of the things I miss most,” she said.

The program will range from Debussy and Ravel to contemporary composers such as Richard Hundley and David Ashley White. Mesko is fluent in French and Italian, and will recite translations of the poetry in English before singing.

“A lot of times in classical song recitals sung in foreign languages, the audience can get lost. I chose most of these songs for their lyrics, and I love talking to the audience,” she said.

Mesko also will meet and share her expertise with current music students during her visit on campus.

“Sarah Mesko’s star is on the rise, and we are delighted to host her here at the Honors College,” said Lynda Coon, dean of the Honors College. In December, Mesko will make her debut in New York City’s Metropolitan Opera in the role of Second Lady in The Magic Flute. She will also be heard in recitals with the Dallas Opera at the Dallas Museum of Art, at Henderson State University in Arkansas, and with tenor Paul Appleby for the George London Foundation at the Morgan Library in New York City.

Last year, Mesko made her role debut as Carmen at the Washington National Opera in the Domingo-Cafritz Emerging Artists performance. She also joined the Metropolitan Opera for their Rising Stars concert tour across the United States.

In 2011, as a member of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program, Mesko made her debut in Madama Butterfly, first as Kate Pinkerton and then in a highly acclaimed role debut as Suzuki, conducted by Plácido Domingo – a role for which The Washington Post remembered her as “the best part of the Young Artist Program performance of Madama Butterfly last year.” 

A compelling concert artist, Mesko has appeared as a soloist with orchestras throughout the United States, and made her European debut in Paris as La Sagesse and Sidonie in Lully’s Armide with Mercury Baroque and the Théatre de Gennevilliers. 

A native of Hot Springs, Mesko excelled academically as well. She was a Bodenhamer Fellow in the Honors College and earned a Bachelor of Music, summa cum laude, in vocal and flute performance from the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. Her U of A faculty mentors included Janice Yoes and Ronda Mains. She also holds a master of music degree in vocal performance from Rice University.

About the Honors College: The University of Arkansas Honors College was established in 2002 and unites the university’s top undergraduate students and professors in a learning environment characterized by discovery, creativity and service. Each year the Honors College awards up to 90 freshman fellowships that provide $70,000 over four years, and more than $1 million in undergraduate research and study abroad grants. The Honors College is nationally recognized for the high caliber of students it admits and graduates. Honors students enjoy small, in-depth classes, and programs are offered in all disciplines, tailored to students’ academic interests, with interdisciplinary collaborations encouraged. Fifty percent of Honors College graduates have studied abroad – three times the national average – and one hundred percent of Honors College graduates have engaged in mentored research.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.