Dina Kuznetsova, soprano

Known for her passionate portrayals of the heroines of Italian and French opera, Russian-American soprano Dina Kuznetsova has already attracted the attention of the world’s major opera companies for her outstanding musicianship and compelling stage presence. Highlights of the upcoming season include a return to the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Gounod’s Juliette and her Royal Opera, Covent Garden debut as Lauretta in a new production of Gianni Schicchi opposite Bryn Terfel and conducted by Antonio Pappano. She also sings the role of Juliette for her debut at Michigan Opera Theater. Her season began with a nationally-televised September 11 dedicatory concert.

In the 2005-06 season, she returned to Lyric Opera of Chicago as Gilda in a new production of Rigoletto and to Boston Lyric Opera as Violetta in La traviata. In concert, she sang the opening night of the season for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in a program of Dvorák songs with pianist Charles Wadsworth. She also returned to the New York Festival of Song for a program of zarzuela songs and arias with pianist Steven Blier.

In the 2004-05 season, Ms. Kuznetsova sang her first performances of the title role of Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen at Lyric Opera of Chicago. She made her role debut as Violetta with Opera Pacific, and she returned to Cincinnati Opera as Gilda in Rigoletto. In recital, she appeared in a specially designed program featuring the poetry of Anna Akhmatova and Alexander Blok which was presented both in New York and at the Kennedy Center, Washington, under the auspices of the Vocal Arts Society.

Ms. Kuznetsova made her debut with the Bayerische Staatsoper in the title role of Handel’s Rodelinda, followed by her London debut as Giulietta in I Capuleti e I Montecchi with English National Opera, to great critical acclaim. She sang her first performances of Gilda for her debut with Boston Lyric Opera and also debuted with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the Shostakovich Suite on Finnish Theme. She is an alumna of Lyric Opera Center for American Artists. In recital, she made her Weill Hall debut at Carnegie Hall under the auspices of the Marilyn Horne Foundation and also gave a recital with the Tuesday Musical Club in Akron, Ohio. Her debut at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin was as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni. She returned there as Adina in L’Elisir d’amore. She sang with NYFOS last season in Dvorák and the America Soul.