Sondra Radvanovsky
Encyclopedia
Sondra Radvanovsky is an American soprano. Sondra was born in Berwyn, Illinois
, a suburb of Chicago, on April 11, 1969. She lived and attended high school in Richmond, Indiana
, a small city which, despite its size, had its own opera company. She started her career early, at the age of 11, trained at the Tanglewood Music Center, the University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music, the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/auditions/young_artists/ and has been taught by teachers that include Martial Singher
, Ruth Falcon
, and Diana Soviero
.
She is best known in the roles of Elvira in Ernani
, Leonora in Il Trovatore
, Elena in I vespri siciliani and Élisabeth in Don Carlos
. In 2010, she opened the Canadian Opera Company
's season in the title role of Verdi's Aida
. She has had success in recent years as Leonora, notably in David McVicar
's production of Il Trovatore
at the Metropolitan Opera
. In 2011 one of the performances was transmitted Live in HD in movie theaters around the world. In addition to her specialty in Verdi heroines, she has also sung the roles of Suor Angelica
, Tosca
, Susannah
, Rusalka
, among others.
Radvanovsky lives with her husband in a suburb of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Berwyn, Illinois
Berwyn is a city in Cook County, Illinois, co-existent with Berwyn Township, which was formed in 1908 after breaking off from Cicero Township. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 54,016.-Demographics:...
, a suburb of Chicago, on April 11, 1969. She lived and attended high school in Richmond, Indiana
Richmond, Indiana
Richmond is a city largely within Wayne Township, Wayne County, in east central Indiana, United States, which borders Ohio. The city also includes the Richmond Municipal Airport, which is in Boston Township and separated from the rest of the city...
, a small city which, despite its size, had its own opera company. She started her career early, at the age of 11, trained at the Tanglewood Music Center, the University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music, the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/auditions/young_artists/ and has been taught by teachers that include Martial Singher
Martial Singher
Martial Singher was a French baritone opera singer born in Oloron-Sainte-Marie, Pyrénées-Atlantiques.Initially singing only as a hobby, he was encouraged by then French education minister Édouard Herriot to pursue singing professionally...
, Ruth Falcon
Ruth Falcon
Ruth Falcon is an American operatic soprano.Falcon graduated from Loyola University of the South and Tulane University and appeared with the New Orleans Opera Association as Frasquita in Carmen, in 1968, opposite Norman Treigle as Escamillo. She made her debut with the New York City Opera as...
, and Diana Soviero
Diana Soviero
Diana Soviero is an American operatic soprano of international stature, a recipient of the Richard Tucker Award in 1979....
.
She is best known in the roles of Elvira in Ernani
Ernani
Ernani is an operatic dramma lirico in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on the play Hernani by Victor Hugo. The first production took place at La Fenice Theatre, Venice on 9 March 1844...
, Leonora in Il Trovatore
Il trovatore
Il trovatore is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play El Trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez. Cammarano died in mid-1852 before completing the libretto...
, Elena in I vespri siciliani and Élisabeth in Don Carlos
Don Carlos
Don Carlos is a five-act grand opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi to a French language libretto by Camille du Locle and Joseph Méry, based on the dramatic play Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien by Friedrich Schiller...
. In 2010, she opened the Canadian Opera Company
Canadian Opera Company
The Canadian Opera Company is an opera company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest opera company in Canada and the third largest producer of opera in North America. The COC performs in its own opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.-History:For 40 years until...
's season in the title role of Verdi's Aida
Aida
Aida sometimes spelled Aïda, is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette...
. She has had success in recent years as Leonora, notably in David McVicar
David McVicar
David McVicar is a Scottish opera and theatre director. He attended Netherlee Primary School and then Williamwood High School. He studied as an actor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, graduating in 1989...
's production of Il Trovatore
Il trovatore
Il trovatore is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play El Trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez. Cammarano died in mid-1852 before completing the libretto...
at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
. In 2011 one of the performances was transmitted Live in HD in movie theaters around the world. In addition to her specialty in Verdi heroines, she has also sung the roles of Suor Angelica
Suor Angelica
Suor Angelica is an opera in one act by Giacomo Puccini to an original Italian libretto by Giovacchino Forzano. It is the second opera of the trio of operas known as Il trittico...
, Tosca
Tosca
Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900...
, Susannah
Susannah
Susannah is an opera in two acts by American composer Carlisle Floyd, who wrote the libretto and music while a member of the piano faculty at Florida State University. Floyd adapted the story from the Apocryphal tale of Susannah and the Elders, though the latter story has a more positive ending...
, Rusalka
Rusalka
In Slavic mythology, a rusalka was a female ghost, water nymph, succubus, or mermaid-like demon that dwelled in a waterway....
, among others.
Radvanovsky lives with her husband in a suburb of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Awards
- Winner of the 1997 George London Foundation Competition
- Winner of the 1995 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions
- First prize in the 1995 Loren L. Zachary Society Competition