Susan Platts

British-born, Canadian mezzo-soprano Susan Platts is celebrated for her uniquely rich and wide-ranging voice. Through the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, she had the privilege of working closely with legendary soprano Jessye Norman for over a decade.

Particularly renowned for her interpretations of Gustav Mahler’s works, she brings emotional depth and vocal beauty to stages around the world. Her Mahler performances are extensive, with more than 90 performances of his Second Symphony alone. In addition to this monumental work, she has also performed Mahler’s Third and Eighth Symphonies, Das Lied von der Erde, Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Rückert-Lieder, and Kindertotenlieder with major orchestras around the world, including the Orchestre de Paris, Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Seoul KBS Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, and Houston Symphony Orchestra.

Other orchestral performances of note include Verdi Requiem with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Elgar Dream of Gerontius with the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional, Beethoven 9 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, De Falla El Amor Brujo with the Cleveland Orchestra, Berlioz Roméo et Juliette at Teatro di San Carlo and Dallapiccola Ulisse at La Scala.

Opera highlights include Mozart Die Zauberflöte at London’s Royal Opera House, Wagner Die Walküre with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and John Adams Nixon in China with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Proms.

She has collaborated with a distinguished roster of conductors, among them Marin Alsop, Sir Andrew Davis, Christoph Eschenbach, JoAnn Falletta, Jane Glover, Vladimir Jurowski, Carlos Kalmar, Keith Lockhart, Kent Nagano, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Carlos Miguel Prieto, Peter Oundjian, Helmuth Rilling, Bramwell Tovey and Osmo Vänska.

Ms. Platts’ recordings include La Tragédie de Salomé (Florent Schmitt) and Mahler Das Lied von der Erde (chamber version) on the Naxos label, the full version of Das Lied von der Erde with the Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra, Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with the Smithsonian Chamber Players, and Lieder by Robert and Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms on ATMA Classique. In 2026, Naxos will release a recording featuring Ms. Platts singing Stravinsky Faun and the Shepherdess with JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 2021, Ms. Platts combined her passion for music and baking and published a cookbook, Aria Ready for Dessert? – A Musician Takes Center Stage in the Kitchen, available on Amazon.