Known for her smart musicianship, light tone and clear diction, Marshallese-American soprano Elena Nirobo Paul is a vocalist and teacher based in Baltimore, MD. Adopted at three months old, Ms. Paul is an eager performer of opera, art song and contemporary repertoire. Growing up in Madison, WI, Elena jokes that music runs through her veins, as her own birth mom was a musician.
Elena is conversationally fluent in German and finds joy in programming works by Schoenberg and Berg – whose challenging melodies motivate her storytelling skills. Aspiring to work outside of the United States to connect with foreign audiences and further her German-speaking skills, in 2024 she was a young artist in Musiktheater Bavaria’s Opera Studio, a program that takes place in Oberaudorf, Germany.
A sought-after collaborator by composers, conductors and fellow musicians, Ms. Paul is asked to perform in both soloistic and ensemble settings. In December 2024, she had the pleasure of working with composer Isabelle Kramar for the world premiere of choral work, “The Grass is Greener.” At Peabody Institute, Elena is a member of Peabody Camerata, Special Project 2 (both led by Dr. Beth Willer) and was cast as Adult Celeste in Hello, Star – a new opera written by Carla Lucero and Jarrod Lee. Recent roles include Anne in A Little Night Music, Linfea in La Calisto, and Flaminia in Die Welt auf dem Mond.
Throughout her undergraduate education, Elena was a member and soloist of Concert Choir (led by Dr. Mariana Farah); participated in the first cycle of C8dence (led by Dr. Sarah Brailey); and sang as a soprano section leader and soloist for many local churches – all of which stressed the art of ensemble practice and forming a community.
A competitive singer, Ms. Paul won 1st place in both the Spiritual and 3rd Year Classical Treble categories of Wisconsin NATS, inspiring her to learn more works by underrepresented composers. She has also been featured in masterclasses given by Wesley Dunnagan, Chanticleer, Jeffrey McGhee, Isaí Jess Muñoz, Fenlon Lamb, Rachel Calloway, James Taylor and Emily Fons.
Elena is currently pursuing her M.M. in vocal performance at Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, where she studies with Randall Scarlata. She received her B.M. in vocal performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison on a full-tuition scholarship, where she studied with Julia Rottmayer.