Didi Cooper

"Didi” Cooper is a vibrant mezzo-soprano from Michigan, who throughout her lifetime, has had the privilege of establishing an extensive repertoire ranging from RnB, Gospel, Musical Theater and Classical music. She has performed works by Juliana Hall, H. Leslie Adams and Gioachino Rossini in concert and has performed as the title role in Carmen and as Sarah’s Friend in Ragtime the Musical at the Bay View Music Festival. Didi regularly performs with the renowned American Spiritual Ensemble who has recently performed at La Folle Journée de Nantes Festival in France and has also made her Detroit Opera debut as a featured ensemble member in Kurt Weill’s Down in the Valley and William Grant Still’s Highway 1, USA. Didi has also played the role of Marcelina for Opera de Metro’s production of The Marriage of Figaro. This season she looks forward to joining Detroit Opera’s production of Tosca as a chorister and as a soloist for the Ringing Bells & Magic Nights Concert with the Livonia Symphony Orchestra.

In 2025, she graduated with a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance at the University of Louisville. There she performed in the Beth Boehm concert series; She's Fabulous by Tony Solitro and Rapture by David Wolfson conducted by Kimcherie Lloyd. During the 2023 summer season, she debuted at the Bay View Music Festival in the operas Gianni Schicchi as “Zita” and Suor Angelica as “La Zia Principessa” which were conducted by Dr. Everett McCorvey and Dr. Casey Robards. She has also performed in the musical, Beauty and the Beast under the direction and choreography of Justin Lucero.

Didi attended Eastern Michigan University where she studied under Dr. MeeAe Nam and received her Bachelor of Music Arts degree in 2023. At EMU, she has performed as “Mama Bear” in Goldi and the Three Singing Bears, the spirited “Lady Terrencia” in Captain Lovelock and “Dater #5” & “Dater #9” in Speed Dating Tonight! with the school’s Opera Theatre Program. She has also performed works by John Rosamond Johnson, Hugo Wolf and Manuel de Falla in concert. She has been a finalist in several competitions, most notably placing 1st in her division at the Mid-South Region National Student Auditions (NATS) and the EMU Barry Manilow Competition. In 2023, she received 2nd place in the collegiate division at the George Shirley Vocal Competition and was also awarded the Women Composer’s Prize.

2026-2027 Resident Singer