Nikki Li Hartliep

Nikki Li Hartliep (born 1955) is a Japanese-born American soprano who has performed with major opera companies and orchestras around the world.

Hartliep was born in Naha, Okinawa Island, and grew up in Alaska. She received her undergraduate degree in 1981 from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. During her master's degree studies she took her first audition and was awarded a contract with San Francisco Opera's touring company, Western Opera Theater (1982).

In the United States, Hartliep performed leading roles with San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, New York City Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Seattle Opera, Minnesota Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Colorado, Atlanta Opera, Austin Opera, The Florentine Opera, Nevada Opera and numerous other regional opera companies.

Outside the U.S., her international operatic performances have included leading roles with Canadian Opera, Teatro Teresa Carreno (Caracas, Venezuela), Dublin Grand Opera, and the Seiji Ozawa Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto (Japan).

Hartliep debuted at Carnegie Hall in 1990 as the soprano soloist (Widow) in Mendelssohn's Elijah with Sherrill Milnes, the Collegiate Chorale and the Orchestra of St. Luke's. Later that year she appeared at Carnegie Hall in an historic performance of Jenůfa with Eve Queler and Opera Orchestra of New York (which was recorded live on the Bis label). Other orchestral appearances have included the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Teatre Liceu de Barcelona Orchestre, Minnesota Orchestra, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Sacramento Symphony Orchestra, New Hampshire Symphony, Napa Valley Symphony, Charleston Symphony Orchestra, and other national regional orchestras.