Praised by The New York Times for her “rich, full and slightly earthy” voice, American soprano Julie Adams has established herself as a compelling presence on the international operatic stage, earning acclaim for her vocal richness, dramatic intensity, and commanding portrayals across a diverse repertoire. A winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the George London Award, and the Elizabeth Connell Prize, Adams continues to distinguish herself through her expressive artistry, vocal versatility, and powerful interpretations of opera’s most captivating heroines.

Following her recent debut at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich as Gerhilde in Wagner’s Die Walküre, Adams is scheduled to return in summer 2027 for two performances of Die Walküre as part of a complete Der Ring des Nibelungen cycle. Looking ahead to summer 2028, she will return to San Francisco Opera for Francesca Zambello’s celebrated production of Wagner’s Ring cycle, singing Sieglinde in Die Walküre and Gutrune in Götterdämmerung under the baton of Music Director Eun Sun Kim.

Recent career highlights include her acclaimed role debut as Elsa in Lohengrin at San Francisco Opera under Eun Sun Kim, her role debut as Senta in Der fliegende Holländer at Des Moines Metro Opera, and performances as Gerhilde in Die Walküre with Opernhaus Zürich and Atlanta Opera. She has also appeared as Sieglinde in Die Walküre at Stadttheater Bern, Elisabeth in Tannhäuser at Wuppertal Opera, and in the title role of Rusalka at Staatstheater Braunschweig. On the concert stage, Adams has performed Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with the Sinfonieorchester Wuppertal.

In the 2019–2020 season, Adams returned to Arizona Opera as Mimì in La bohème, following her 2018–2019 house debut as Anna Sørensen in Kevin Puts’ Silent Night. That same season, she made her house debut with Des Moines Metro Opera as Mimì and was featured in recital under the auspices of the George London Foundation. Orchestral engagements included Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Phoenix Symphony under Tito Muñoz and a concert performance of West Side Story with the Oakland Symphony.

The 2017–2018 season saw Adams return to San Francisco Opera as a guest artist in Francesca Zambello’s production of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, performing Freia in Das Rheingold and Gerhilde in Die Walküre. Additional engagements included her house and role debut as the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro at Michigan Opera Theatre, conducted by Stephen Lord, and her house debut at Opera Idaho as Blanche DuBois in André Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire.

A former Adler Fellow at San Francisco Opera, Adams has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with the company. Her performances there include Mimì in La bohème under Carlo Montanaro, the First Lady in Jun Kaneko’s production of Die Zauberflöte, Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Kristina in The Makropulos Case, and Cesira in the world premiere of Marco Tutino’s La Ciociara. She has also covered Eva in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and the title role in Jenůfa.

Additional operatic highlights include Mimì in La bohème and Anna Sørensen in Silent Night with Opera San José; her role debut as Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire with the 2014 Merola Opera Program; Lia in Debussy’s L’Enfant prodigue at the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv; and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte at the Music Academy of the West. She has also performed Magnolia Hawks in Show Boat and Rose in Street Scene with the Oakland East Bay Symphony. Other roles include Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Blanche de la Force in Dialogues des Carmélites, and Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Equally at home on the concert and recital stage, Adams appeared in the Schwabacher Debut Recital series alongside pianist John Churchwell, earning praise from the San Francisco Chronicle for her “combination of plush tone and seeming effortless vocal power.” Her orchestral repertoire includes Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with the Contra Costa Wind Symphony, Haydn’s Mass in C major with the Oakland East Bay Symphony, Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, and Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Ventura College Orchestra. She has also performed Joseph Marx Lieder with the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Orchestra and appeared in San Francisco Opera Lab’s Chamberworks Concerts, performing works by Strauss, Previn, Ponchielli, and Chausson.

A native of Burbank, California, Adams holds both Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she was awarded the Phyllis C. Wattis Memorial Scholarship. She currently serves as Artist-Teacher of Music in Voice at Hillsdale College in Michigan, where she mentors the next generation of singers while maintaining an active international performing career.