Biography
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Tickets are now available for Rabihah's appearance as soprano soloist with Masterworks Chorale!
American soprano Rabihah Davis Dunn is celebrated for her radiant timbre, expressive depth, and stylistic versatility across opera, oratorio, and contemporary choral repertoire. The 2025–2026 season marks an exciting series of major milestones, including as soprano soloist with Pacific Symphony in Handel’s Messiah and Pacific Chorale for Poulenc’s Gloria and the world premiere of Jocelyn Hagen’s What the Soul Already Knows. She will make her New York Philharmonic debut with EXIGENCE (Sphinx Organization’s vocal ensemble) in the premiere of Thomas Adès’ America (A Prophecy). Dunn will also appear in 2026 as soprano soloist in Mozart’s Mass in C minor with Masterworks Chorale.
On the operatic stage, Dunn has appeared with Pocket Opera as Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Lucrezia (Lucrezia Borgia), Leïla (The Pearl Fishers), and Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor). She has covered principal roles at Chicago Opera Theater — including Elcia in Mosè in Egitto and Vitellia in La Clemenza di Tito—and performed in Porgy and Bess at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Her accomplishments include First Place and Grand Prize Winner of the Bel Canto Foundation Competition, Winner of the American Opera Society of Chicago Competition, Semi-Finalist in the Montserrat Caballé International Voice Competition, Finalist in the London Handel Vocal Competition, and Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
Dunn holds degrees from the University of Michigan (MM), the Royal Academy of Music in London, England (PGDip), and the University of Southern California (BM).
Reviews & Media
Recording: Theofanidis' Door out of the Fire with Exigence & Nicola Spera
Performance: 3 Song Mini-Concert for Pocket Opera
Performance: Mozart's Don Giovanni Sitzprobe for Pocket Opera
Head Shot Photos
Full Length Photos
Recent Performances
Location: Costa Mesa, CA
Role: Appearance as Soprano Soloist
Repertoire: Handel's Messiah
Organization: Pacific Symphony & Pacific Chorale
Location: Costa Mesa, CA
Role: Appearance as Soprano Soloist
Repertoire: Poulenc's Gloria, Hagen's What the Soul Already Knows
Organization: Pacific Symphony & Pacific Chorale
Location: Amherst, MA
Role: Appearance as Soprano Soloist
Repertoire: Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass
Organization: Berkshire Choral Festival
Education
Degrees
Degrees
2005-07
University of Michigan, Master of Music, Ann Arbor, MI
2003-05
Royal Academy of Music, Post Graduate Diploma, London, U.K.
2000-03
University of Southern California, Bachelor of Music, Los Angeles, CA
Training Programs
Training Programs
2023
Choral Executive Leadership Academy, Chorus America
2009/2010
Young Artist, Chicago Opera Theater, Brian Dickie
2007
Studio Artist, Chautauqua Opera Young Artists Program, Jay Lessenger
Competitions
Awards & Placement
Awards & Placement
2011
Semi-Finalist, Montserrat Caballé International Voice Competition, Zaragoza, Spain
2009
Finalist, Bel Canto Vocal Scholarship Foundation, Providence, R.I.
2009
First Place and Grand Prize Winner, Bel Canto Foundation, Chicago, IL
2008
Winner, American Opera Society of Chicago Vocal Competition, Chicago, IL
2007
Regional Finalist, Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions
2005
Second Place, National Association of Negro Musicians, Michigan Vocal Competition, Detroit, MI
2004
Finalist, London Handel Vocal Competition, London, U.K.
Repertoire
Operatic Roles & Covers
Operatic Roles & Covers
2019
Donna Anna, Don Giovanni, Pocket Opera (PO), San Francisco, CA
2017
Giulietta, The Tales of Hoffmann, PO, San Francisco, CA
2016
Lucrezia Borgia, Lucrezia Borgia, PO, San Francisco, CA
2015
Leïla, The Pearl Fishers, PO, San Francisco, CA
2015
Lucia, Lucia di Lammermoor, PO, San Francisco, CA
2014
Leïla, The Pearl Fishers, PO, San Francisco, CA
2010
Elcia (Cover), Mosè in Egitto, Chicago Opera Theatre (COT), Chicago, IL
2009
Vitellia (Cover), La Clemenza di Tito, COT, Chicago, IL
2008
Brief Solo/Chorus, Porgy and Bess, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Oratorio Roles
Oratorio Roles
2025
G.F. Handel - Messiah, Pacific Symphony, CA
2025
Poulenc - Gloria; Jocelyn Hagen -What the Soul Already Knows (world premiere), Pacific Chorale, Costa Mesa, CA
2025
Haydn - Lord Nelson Mass, Berkshire Choral Festival, Amherst, MA
2024
Vaughan Williams - Dona Nobis Pacem, Masterworks Chorale, San Francisco, CA
2024
Poulenc - Gloria, Missoula Symphony, Missoula, MT
2023
Ron Kean -The Journey of Harriett Tubman, Soloist, Chorus America National Conference, San Francisco, CA
2023
Beethoven - Mass in C Major and Mozart -Regina Coeli, Masterworks Chorale, San Francisco, CA
2014
Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem, Camarillo and Ventura, CA
2010
Haydn and Mozart Recital, The Schubert Club, St. Paul, MN
2010
Vivaldi - Magnificat, Macalester College, St. Paul, MN
2006
Verdi - Requiem, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
2005
Mozart - Requiem, Corsley Choral Society, Crosley, U.K.
2005
Mozart - K 195 Litaniae Lauretanae, Haydn - Stabat Mater, Dowland Choral Society & London Pro Arte Orchestra, London, U.K.
Collaborations
Conductors, Stage Directors, Coaches
Conductors, Stage Directors, Coaches
CONDUCTORS: Dr. Robert Istad, Dr. Eugene Rogers, Bryan Baker, Julia Tai, Jane Glover, John DeMain, Steuart Bedford, Francesco Milioto
DIRECTORS: Nicolas Aliaga, Francesca Zambello, RB Schlather, Jay Lessenger, Brian Dickie
COACHES: David Drummond, Frank Johnson, Curt Pajer, Bryan Nies, Scott Gilmore, John Keene, Timothy Cheeks, Martin Katz
Ensembles
Ensembles
2018 - current
EXIGENCE Vocal Ensemble, Soprano, Sphinx Organization
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