Praised for a voice described as “beautifully powerful” (Arts Knoxville), American lyric soprano TORI PATRICIA FRANKLIN is rapidly establishing herself as a compelling presence on operatic and concert stages across the Southeast and beyond. A native of East Tennessee, she balances a rich vocal technique with compelling dramatic versatility, earning a recent Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition.
The 2025 – 2026 season highlights her growing career, featuring her debut with Opera Roanoke as Nella in Gianni Schicchi, and her return to Knoxville Opera as Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia, as well as reprising the role of Nella. On the concert stage, she recently made her debut with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra as the Second Fairy in Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and performed as the soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association.
Equally at home in leading roles and contemporary works, Ms. Franklin’s notable operatic credits include Alice Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff (Knoxville Opera), Gertrud in Hänsel und Gretel (UT Opera Theatre), the title role in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah (Marble City Opera), and the world premiere of Royal Flush with Marble City Opera. Her early career was marked by significant training as a Resident and Apprentice Artist with Sarasota Opera, where she performed La Duchesse du Crackentorpe in La fille du régiment and Second Woman/First Witch in Dido and Aeneas, and as a Young Artist with the Janiec Opera Company at the Brevard Music Center.
Falstaff | Knoxville Opera 2023 | Photo: Alan Simms
Ms. Franklin holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she studied with Lorraine DiSimone and was awarded the Mary Costa Vocal Scholarship. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Brevard College, studying under Dr. Kathryn Gresham. A dynamic cross-genre competitor, she has achieved regional and national success in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competitions in both Classical and Musical Theatre categories.
Ms. Franklin is based in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she studies under soprano Marjorie Bennett Stephens. She also runs a voice studio of her own, catering to the middle and high schoolers of Knoxville and Oak Ridge. She enjoys good cinema, pop music, weightlifting, and spending time with her miniature long-haired dachshund, Doug.
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