‘I felt a strong sense of community at UTA’
A versatile and multifaceted Ghanaian American artist who finds herself at home on stage, on screen and in the studio, University of Texas at Arlington alumna Tesia Kwarteng is a professional mezzo-soprano soloist and voiceover actor who went from Maverick Country to the Metropolitan Opera.
“Music and singing have always been part of my life,” said Kwarteng (’11 BA, Voice Performance and Journalism). “It’s not a given that everyone knows what they want to do with their life at such a young age, much less to be able to actively pursue it, but I had a lot of support in doing so.”
That support system grew immeasurably when Kwarteng chose to attend UTA. Kwarteng said the support she received from faculty in the Department of Music is what really helped her get where she is today. Through those connections, she earned her first professional credits and honed her performance skills at music venues throughout Dallas and Fort Worth.
“It went so far beyond basic music education,” she said. “I felt a strong sense of community at UTA. It’s a community that will support you, push you to grow and help you develop your own excellence as you learn how to be your best self.”
Since she moved to New York City, Kwarteng has earned a master’s degree in voice performance from the Manhattan School of Music and amassed a number of professional credits, including an off-Broadway debut in “Camelot” at Lincoln Center Theater and performances at opera houses across the nation. In 2022, she made her principal artist debut at the Metropolitan Opera in “Hamlet.” She also has performed in productions of “Carmen” and “The Marriage of Figaro” in productions in Columbus, Ohio, and Portland, Oregon, respectively.
In a recent interview for the American Dream Stories video series produced by the city of Arlington, Kwarteng said: “I think the American dream is really whatever you want it to be. I am so thankful to those that came before me because they opened doors that they probably didn’t even realize they opened, and I pray that those who are coming behind me can say the same thing.”
To read more about Kwarteng’s Maverick journey as an opera singer n New York City, read the Maverick Connections feature in UTA Magazine.