Praised for her vocal beauty, fearlessly committed acting, and impeccable technique, soprano Celena Shafer is recognized as one of the leading artists of her generation, garnering acclaim wherever her busy concert schedule leads her. In the 2007-08 season, Ms. Shafer debuted with the St. Louis Symphony in concert performances of Beethoven's Fidelio conducted by David Robertson, and with the Seattle Symphony for Handel's Messiah. Highlights from past seasons include her New York Philharmonic debut in Handel's Messiah with Alan Gilbert, and returns for Mozart's Coronation Mass and also the Brahms Requiem both led by Lorin Maazel, a debut with the Chicago Symphony in Mahler's Symphony No. 2 led by Michael Tilson Thomas and a return for the Brahms German Requiem with Kent Nagano, and performances of Carmina Burana with the San Francisco Symphony. Ms. Shafer, a Utah native, appears regularly with the Utah Symphony & Opera, where she debuted in Die Fledermaus in 2002 and has returned for numerous roles, both operatic and orchestral.