Susanna Phillips
Encyclopedia
Susanna Phillips is a soprano
opera
singer. She has appeared at the Lyric Opera of Chicago
and the Metropolitan Opera
, among others. Though born in Birmingham
, Alabama
she and her family moved two weeks after she was born, to Huntsville
, Madison County
, Alabama
; where she grew up and attended school at Randolph School
. While attending Randolph, she also began studying voice with Ginger Beazley at Ars Nova School of the Arts
. There her talents flourished and she soon found herself accepted to the Juilliard School
in New York
.
At Juilliard, Susanna became a student of Cynthia Hoffmann and began coursework for a Bachelor of Music degree in 1999, continuing there until receiving a Master of Music degree in 2004 followed by becoming a member of the Santa Fe Opera
's Apprentice Program for Singers during the summer 2004 season, "covering
" the role of "Donna Elvira".
In recent years, she has won a number of awards and prestige from her well regarded performances, including having been named a soloist for the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall
, winning $15,000 at the Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions in March 2005, and most recently winning the women's division and the People's Choice awards at Plácido Domingo
's Operalia International Opera Competition in Madrid
for $30,000 and $10,000 respectively.
In March 2005, Phillips joined Lyric Opera Center for American Artists at the Chicago Lyric Opera.
She participated in Santa Fe's "50th Anniversary Arias Gala Concert" on 12 August 2006 and sang the role of "Pamina" in the final two performances of the 2006 season production of The Magic Flute
. For Santa Fe's 2007 season, she sang the role of Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte. She sang Pamina at the Met in 2010-2011.
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer. She has appeared at the Lyric Opera of Chicago
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Lyric Opera of Chicago is one of the leading opera companies in the United States. It was founded in Chicago in 1952, under the name 'Lyric Theatre of Chicago' by Carol Fox, Nicolà Rescigno and Lawrence Kelly, with a season that included Maria Callas's American debut in Norma...
and 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...
, among others. Though born in Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
she and her family moved two weeks after she was born, to Huntsville
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
, Madison County
Madison County, Alabama
Madison County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is a major part of the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The county is named in honor of James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America, and the...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
; where she grew up and attended school at Randolph School
Randolph School
Randolph School is an American independent private kindergarten-through-12th-grade college preparatory school chartered in 1959 in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama. It started in an antebellum home on Randolph Street with just a few elementary classes...
. While attending Randolph, she also began studying voice with Ginger Beazley at Ars Nova School of the Arts
Ars Nova School of the Arts
Ars Nova School of the Arts is a conservatory located in Huntsville, Alabama providing education in fine arts, particularly music and theatre, to students of all ages. The school is operated under a non-profit corporation also bearing the name Ars Nova. Ars Nova, Inc...
. There her talents flourished and she soon found herself accepted to the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
At Juilliard, Susanna became a student of Cynthia Hoffmann and began coursework for a Bachelor of Music degree in 1999, continuing there until receiving a Master of Music degree in 2004 followed by becoming a member of the Santa Fe Opera
Santa Fe Opera
The Santa Fe Opera is an American opera company, located north of Santa Fe in the U.S. state of New Mexico, headquartered on a former guest ranch of .-General history:...
's Apprentice Program for Singers during the summer 2004 season, "covering
Understudy
In theater, an understudy is a performer who learns the lines and blocking/choreography of a regular actor or actress in a play. Should the regular actor or actress be unable to appear on stage because of illness or emergencies, the understudy takes over the part...
" the role of "Donna Elvira".
In recent years, she has won a number of awards and prestige from her well regarded performances, including having been named a soloist for the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, winning $15,000 at the Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions in March 2005, and most recently winning the women's division and the People's Choice awards at Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
's Operalia International Opera Competition in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
for $30,000 and $10,000 respectively.
In March 2005, Phillips joined Lyric Opera Center for American Artists at the Chicago Lyric Opera.
She participated in Santa Fe's "50th Anniversary Arias Gala Concert" on 12 August 2006 and sang the role of "Pamina" in the final two performances of the 2006 season production of The Magic Flute
The Magic Flute
The Magic Flute is an opera in two acts composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue....
. For Santa Fe's 2007 season, she sang the role of Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte. She sang Pamina at the Met in 2010-2011.