Hailed by Northwest Reverb as “a dynamite soprano,” Saori DeBruyn (née Erickson) brings heart and soul to every one of her performances. She is known for being a dynamic actress, both in serious works and slap-stick hilarity, matched with what Oregon Live calls a “big, shining voice”.

Up next for Saori is a company debut with Livermore Valley Opera, singing the role of Sister Genevieve in their production of Puccini’s Suor Angelica. In previous seasons, she starred as the cunning Adina in Elixir of Love with Cascadia Chamber opera, Zerlina in Don Giovanni (Cascadia Chamber Opera), Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus (Opernfest Berlin), Erste Dame in Die Zauberflöte (Eugene Opera), and in the fall of 2022, Saori portrayed the deeply emotional role of ‘The Barmaid’ in the World Premiere of Keith Allegretti’s Good Country. An opera that traces the true story of Charley Parkhurst, a stagecoach driver in the California Gold Rush who was assigned female at birth and lived life as a man. Another performance of note was her hilarious performance of “American Tourist (aka Soprano #1)” in Eugene Opera’s production of Acis & Galatea where Saori flexed her funny bone with cracks of laughter coming from the audience from her ad libbed lines and comedic improv.

Her concert appearances this year included the soprano solo in Mahler no. 4 with the Sunnyside Symphony Orchestra (SSO), and the world premiere of Apocalyptic Maiden, a song cycle with orchestra set to text from The Magnificat, composed by her father in-law, Randall DeBruyn, performed with the Salem Philharmonia Orchestra (SPO). Previous concert performances include Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem with the Eugene Concert Choir, soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchstra (WA), and Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle with the Dartmouth Glee Club.

Saori received her master’s degree from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA, and her Bachelor’s degree from Portland State University. She currently lives back in her hometown of Portland, OR with her husband Jonathan DeBruyn, and their daughter. In her free time, Saori enjoys cooking, sewing, taking care of her plants, and doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.