Amy Maude Helfer, American mezzo-soprano, is a versatile singing actor of opera, operetta, and musical theatre, especially noted for her “plangent mezzo” (QonStage), “intriguing near-contralto… and a mouth made for sarcastic asides” (Parterre Box).
Amy Maude makes several exciting role debuts in 2024: COUNSEL (Trial by Jury) and MRS. PARTLET (The Sorcerer) in a double bill with New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players (NYGASP), THE PIRATE KING (The Pirates of Penzance) with Raylynmor Opera, and KLYTÄMNESTRA (Elektra) in a return to Madison Lyric Stage! Amy Maude won second place in Opera Connecticut’s American Opera Idol Competition in July. Also in 2024, she joins Opera Theater of Connecticut for two concert appearances: in March for a return to Sanibel Music Festival in a program of Gilbert & Sullivan, and in September, for her debut at the George Flynn Classical Concert series in a Sondheim program.
Amy Maude enjoyed a busy 2023! She sang STÉPHANO (Roméo et Juliette) with New York City Opera at Bryant Park, and reprised the role of THE WITCH (Hansel and Gretel) with Opera Theater of Connecticut, with whom she also sang ZULMA (L’italiana in Algeri). Amy Maude had the distinct honor of performing as the ALTO SOLOIST in the US premiere of Lera Auerbach’s Symphony no. 6, Vessels of Light, dedicated to Chiune Sugihara, with New York City Opera at Carnegie Hall. Owing to her versatility, Amy Maude also reprised her roles of PITTI-SING (The Mikado “Re-imagined”) and LADY ANGELA (Patience) with NYGASP, and debuted as SISTER MARGARETTA (The Sound of Music) at Ivoryton Playhouse. Amy Maude’s 2023 season concluded with performances as ALTO SOLOIST in Handel’s Messiah in her debut with Danbury Music Centre.
In May 2022, Amy Maude jumped in to rehearsals as ROSINA (Il barbiere di Siviglia) (on 72 hours’ notice!) in her debut with New York City Opera, giving back-to-back performances at Bryant Park, and as ALTO SOLOIST (Stroope American Rhapsody) with MidAmerica Productions at Carnegie Hall. In June, Amy Maude jumped in to rehearsals as MEG PAGE (Falstaff) at Raylynmor Opera, though performances were sadly cancelled due to COVID. In August, she sang PETRA (A Little Night Music) in her company debut at Union Avenue Opera. Autumn 2022 saw Amy Maude reprising the role of TESSA (The Gondoliers) with NYGASP, directing, conducting, and singing her recital as recipient of NYGASP’s annual Isaac Asimov Award for Artistic Achievement, performing a concert of Offenbach-influenced operatic highlights at Raylynmor Opera, and debuting the role of THE WITCH (Hansel and Gretel) at Opera Theater of Connecticut.
COVID-era credits include a role debut as BERTA (The Barber of Seville) with Opera Theater of Connecticut, cantorial soloist at Temple Emanu-el in Manhattan, and ALLA NAZIMOVA (The Garden of Alla) at New York Public Library’s virtual musical theatre festival “Across a Crowded Zoom.”
Recent operatic credits include the title role in Carmen at the Narnia Festival, DINAH (Trouble in Tahiti) with Boheme Opera NJ, CHERUBINO (Le nozze di Figaro) and ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE at Dayton Opera, VERA BORONEL (The Consul) and NANCY (Albert Herring) with Bronx Opera, BABA THE TURK (The Rake's Progress) with String Orchestra of Brooklyn, MERCÉDÈS (Carmen) with Opera Theater of Connecticut, FRADE (Mandelbaum’s The Dybbuk) at Queens College and Merkin Hall, HANSEL (Hansel and Gretel) at Boston Lyric Opera-Opera New England, and STÉPHANO (Roméo et Juliette) with dell'Arte Opera Ensemble.
On the concert stage, Amy Maude performed a concert of operatic favorites with Athena Music Foundation at Zankel Hall, was alto soloist in Part One of Handel’s Messiah at Rutgers University, and alto soloist in Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass with Manhattan Concert Productions at Carnegie Hall.
Credits in operetta and musical theatre include MRS. LOVETT (Sweeney Todd) at the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, soloist on Sondheim, Golden Age/ Bernstein and Cole Porter concerts with Opera Theater of Connecticut at Sanibel Music Festival, RUTH (The Pirates of Penzance) with Utopia Opera, PETRA (A Little Night Music) with Madison Lyric Stage, PHOEBE (The Yeomen of the Guard) at Winter Opera Saint Louis, CLOTILDE LOMBASTE (The New Moon), SUSAN (The Desert Song), and ETHEL BRANDER (Rose-Marie) with Light Opera of New York, and KATE (The Pirates of Penzance) with Boheme Opera NJ.
As a principal mezzo with NYGASP, Amy Maude has performed the title role in Iolanthe, PHOEBE (The Yeomen of the Guard) at New York City Center and the International G&S Festival in Malvern & Harrogate UK, TESSA (The Gondoliers), LADY ANGELA and LADY SAPHIR (Patience), MELISSA (Princess Ida), as well as over 50 performances as PITTI-SING (The Mikado) and over 90 performances as KATE (The Pirates of Penzance) in NYC and on national tours.
Amy Maude made her podcast debut in March 2021, discussing Bob Dylan’s “inscrutable” lead track of Self Portrait, “All the Tired Horses,” on POD DYLAN. She returned to POD DYLAN in November 2022 to discuss Rough and Rowdy Ways’ “I’ve Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You,” and again in March 2024 for “We Are the World.” During the height of the pandemic, Amy penned two vaguely-viral meme tweets, first about Bob Dylan, and later, slasher film Sleepaway Camp.
Amy Maude was a semi-finalist in the 2013 Lotte Lenya Competition, and joined Actors’ Equity in 2009.
Amy holds a Bachelor of Music degree in both Voice Performance and Music Education from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, and a Master of Music degree in Voice Performance from Boston University. She has served annually as a high holiday cantorial soloist since 2003.
A native of Cheshire, Connecticut, Amy is currently based in New York City.