Susan Brummell Belcher

Susan Brummell Belcher’s career spans teaching, opera performance and directing, non-profit arts administration, education outreach and community service.

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Ms. Belcher earned a Bachelor of Science in Education in Speech and Theatre from Missouri State University and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Northwestern University.

She gained her professional opera training with the Chicago Lyric Opera Center for American Artists through which she debuted to critical acclaim the role of the angel Zephon in the Chicago Lyric Opera world premiere of Pendereski’s Paradise Lost. Her opera credits include: Clorinda, La Cenerentola, Opera Company of Philadelphia; Norina, Don Pasquale, Palm Springs Opera; Adele, Die Fledermaus, Chicago Opera Theatre; and Papagena, The Magic Flute, Chicago Lyric Opera Grant Park Series. She has recorded professionally with the Gregg Smith Singers.

Ms. Belcher served the Springfield (Missouri) Regional Opera (SRO) in two capacities, as Education and Outreach Director and as Executive Director. In the former role, she built the Young Artists Program which provided college opera students with semi-professional performance experiences as well as outreach opportunities in regional elementary and secondary schools. As Executive Director, she fostered collaborative relationships with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks and the Springfield Regional Arts Council, on whose board she also served.

Since moving to Little Rock, Ms. Belcher has been engaged in teaching, performing, stage directing and community service. She teaches voice at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) and maintains a private voice studio. She has performed with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, the Arkansas Repertory Theatre and the Arkansas Chamber Singers. With a special interest in opera for young audiences, she has directed three productions for the Wildwood Park for the Performing Arts Young Artists touring company and two productions for the Wildwood Summer Opera Camp, a two-week opera intensive program for ages 8-18. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the River City Men’s Chorus and is a member of the Arkansas Women’s Leadership Forum and the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Guild.