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BIOGRAPHY
ITALIANO

 

One of the most exciting voices to come out of Australia in recent decades is the Sydney born dramatic soprano Angela Denning. Over the years, Angela’s voice has followed an almost ‘miraculous,’ ever-changing path, continually evolving and growing in power and maturity, while always retaining its beauty and purity. This God-given phenomenon has enabled her to progress through an extremely broad spectrum of operatic repertoire, ranging from Violetta and Lucia in the earlier years, to her more recent roles of Abigaille, Lady Macbeth and Turandot. Accompanying this ‘vocal transformation’ there have been invaluable encounters with some wonderful teachers and maestri...Iris Adami-Corradetti, Josef Metternich, Alberto Ventura..., but it was the advice and guidance of the great maestro Nicola Rescigno (conductor of Maria Callas), with whom Angela had the great privilege of working several years ago, which pointed her in the right direction towards the dramatic Verdi and Puccini roles and really clarified her path. Because of the unusual versatility, unique beauty of timbre, and an incredible natural vocal technique, she has also been able to combine the vocal power necessary for the large opera stages, with the subtle delicacy required for the concert platform. 

 

Current Operatic Repertoire includes: 

Angela grew up in Sydney and began piano tuition at 7 years of age. At 15, she won a scholarship to attend the Sydney Conservatorium of Music High School, a school specializing in training and preparing especially gifted young musicians from all parts of Australian and Asian Pacific regions, for a future career in music. There, she majored in piano, studying with Isador Goodman, and Elizabeth Powell. After graduating from high school Angela completed the Diploma in Music Education also at the Sydney Conservatory, during which time she began formal voice tuition with Dorothy Helmrich, whose artistic guidance and belief really moulded Angela’s artistry. And so, at the very young age of 19 years, Angela made her recital debut as a mezzo soprano, at the Kretschmann Club in Sydney, singing the Brahms Zigeunerlieder, Schumann’s ‘Frauenliebe und Leben’ and Mahlers ‘Lied des Fahrenden Gesellen. This experience changed her path, and soon afterwards, she was accepted to join the Sydney Conservatorium Opera School, continuing vocal study with Valerie Collins-Varga. During these early years Angela performed many recital programmes, and recorded numerous broadcasts for ABC “Young Australia,” including Wolf, Schumann and Mahler Lieder, Chansons by Duparc and Debussy, as well as performing in the Australian premiere of Berio’s “Laborinthus II” with the SSO at Sydney Opera House. Soon moving away from the mezzo soprano repertoire, she appeared as Micaela (Carmen), Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi) and Lucy (The Telephone) in the Opera Schools productions and in Scarlatti’s “Eraclea” - (stepping in at three days notice) for the University of Sydney. Angela graduated with distinction gaining the Diploma in Operatic Art and Music Theatre, and the following year was engaged as a soloist by the State Opera of South Australia. While engaged in Adelaide, Angela performed the roles of Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Barberina (Figaro), Damigella (Poppea), Cousin Hebe (HMS Pinafore), Yvette (Rondine), and continued an extensive concert repertoire for ABC, Adelaide. During her years in Adelaide, Angela also toured the outback by bus, plane and helicopter for the Arts Council and State Opera. These tours provided not only invaluable performing experience, but some unforgettably fond memories.

In 1978 Angela was judged a finalist in the Armstrong Martin Opera Competition at the Sydney Opera House and was invited to join the Australian Opera as a soloist in 1979, making her debut as Chloe in Tchaikovsky’s “Pique Dame”. For the AO, Angela sang a variety of roles, including Nannetta (Falstaff), Blonde (Seraglio), Lucy Lockitt (Beggars Opera), Morgana (Alcina), Zenia (Boris Godinov) , Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), Zerlina (Fra Diavolo), Königin der Nacht (Zauberflöte), Lucia (Rape of Lucretia), and was the understudy to Joan Sutherland in the role of Margeurite de Valois (Les Hugenots). Other roles included Adele (Fledermaus), and Sophie (Rosenkavalier), which sadly and mysteriously, was to be her last performance in Australia. No one, it seems, can explain the reason. During the intervening years Angela has always wanted and requested to return to sing once again in her home country - she still eagerly awaits an invitation.

In addition to her stage performances, Angela was a regular soloist in innumerable orchestral concerts with the ABC and the SSO in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, including the Messiah, Haydn's “Die Schöpfung” with the St. Hedwigs Chor, Berlin, on their Australian tour, “Carmina Burana” by Orff, “Samson” Händel, as well as the Mainly Mozart Series. She also performed in many opera gala concerts for ABC Television in Sydney, and with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra in Perth. In 1980 she recorded “Highlights from French Opera,” an album of arias and duets, with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Richard Bonynge. After auditioning in London, Angela was invited to sing ‘Queen of the Night’ at the London Colosseum Theatre, as well as ‘Constanze’ for Kent Opera and so, in 1983, Angela moved to Britain. Later the same year, she went on to win the second prize in the prestigious Belvedere Opera Competition in Vienna, singing the mad scene from “Lucia di Lammermoor”

One of the results of her win in Vienna was the invitation to join the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

From 1984 until 1993 Angela was a principle soloist at the Deutsche Oper.

While engaged in Berlin, Angela sang the following roles:

                            

                            Schwertengel - Der Messias - Première - director Achim Freyer - conductor Christopher Hogwood 

Since her European debut in 1984, Angela has made innumerable guest appearances in opera theatres and concert halls, including:

Deutsche Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin,      Grand Theatre Bordeaux,      Opera Bilbao,      Opera Theatre Lubiana,  

Opera Theatre Zagreb,      Salzburger Festspiele,      Sydney Opera House,       Gärtnerplatz Theater, München,     Baden Sommer Festpiele,      Opernhaus Linz, 

Theater St. Pölten,     Theater Bremen,     London Colosseum,      Vogtland Theater, Plauen,     Hessisches Staatstheater, Wiesbaden,      Stadthalle Aschaffenburg,  

Festhalle Zweibrücken,     Opera Colorado, Denver, USA,     Staatsoper Wien,      Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Düsseldorf.

Her roles have encompassed a unique breadth of styles and repertoires.

Fiordiligi      Donna Elvira     Constanze     Pamina       Lucia di Lammermoor     Clorinda  (Cenerentola)     Anna Elisa (Paganini)  

Graefin Mariza      Marguerite (Faust)      Violetta        Madama Butterfly       Leonora (Forza del Destino)      Donna Anna      Abigaille     Turandot

Concert Engagements, TV and Radio Broadcasts:

                              

                              Verdi Opera Gala, Castello Valenzano, Italy

                              Puccini Opera Gala, Sarteano, Italy

                              Sydney Opera House Concert Hall - Sydney Symphony Orchestra - Messiah, Carmina Burana, The Creation, and Mainly Mozart Series

                              Recitals for ABC Radio, Sydney   - Lieder by Wolf, Schubert, Schumann and Brahms

                                                                                             - Chansons by Duparc, Debussy and Faure

                                                                                             - Mozart Concert Arias

                              Opera Gala Concert for ABC-TV, Sydney  

                              Opera Gala Concert for ABC, Perth with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra

                              Göttingen Festspiele - Samson - Händel

                              Radio France Paris - Carmina Burana, Mozart concert arias - cond. Christian Badea)

                              RIAS Berlin - Verdi Opera Gala - cond. Silvio Varviso 

                              Berlin Philarmonie - Beethoven Missa Solemnis,  9th Symphony

                              “Romantic Salon” -  recital tour throughout Italy, France and UK

Disc:

Highlights of French Opera - cond. Richard Bonynge

Arias by Arriaga - cond. Jesus Lopez Cobos

Video / DVD:

Cenerentola - Salzburger Festspiel

Les Hugenots - Deutsche Oper Berlin.

Email: denning.angela_soprano@yahoo.com



© Angela Denning 2011. All rights reserved.