Carol Vaness American lyric soprano Date of Birth: 27.07.1952 Country: USA

1. Biography of Carol Vaness
2. Early Career
3. Later Career
4. International Success
5. Teaching and Legacy

Biography of Carol Vaness

Carol Vaness is an American lyric soprano who gained recognition for her interpretations of Mozart heroines such as Donna Anna and Donna Elvira in "Don Giovanni," Elettra in "Idomeneo," Fiordiligi in "Così fan tutte," and Vitellia in "La clemenza di Tito." Her performance as Fiordiligi at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera was compared to the legendary American soprano Ina Souez. Carol Vaness was born on July 27, 1952, in San Diego, California, and sang in the choir of a Presbyterian church in Encino during her childhood and youth.

Early Career

Vaness's professional career began in 1977 at the San Francisco Opera, where she performed the role of a priestess in Verdi's "Aida." That same year, she sang Enrichetta di Francia in "I puritani" and the first handmaiden in "Turandot" alongside Luciano Pavarotti and Montserrat Caballé. She also debuted as Vitellia in "La clemenza di Tito." In 1978, she added the roles of Mimì in "La Bohème" and Cleopatra in Handel's "Giulio Cesare" to her repertoire.

Later Career

In 1979, Vaness performed at the New York City Opera, and in 1981 and 1982, she sang Donna Anna in "Don Giovanni" alongside Italian bass Cesare Siepi and Blanche in "Dialogues of the Carmelites" with Leontyne Price. Her performances as Donna Anna, Elettra, and Fiordiligi at the Glyndebourne Festival in the 1980s gained her widespread attention. In the same year, she made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Armida in Handel's "Rinaldo," showcasing her ability to excel in complex Baroque roles. She also performed roles such as Tatiana in "Eugene Onegin," Contessa Almaviva in "Le nozze di Figaro," Electra in "Idomeneo," and Manon.

International Success

Since then, Vaness has performed in major opera houses throughout Europe, including La Scala, Wiener Staatsoper, Opéra National de Paris, Opéra-Comique, and the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. She has collaborated with renowned conductors such as Bernard Haitink, Charles Mackerras, Riccardo Muti, James Levine, Colin Davis, and Kurt Masur. Despite being primarily associated with Mozart's works, Vaness has a wide, versatile repertoire that includes baroque heroines, Violetta in "La traviata," and Manon Lescaut in Puccini's opera. She was also considered one of the greatest performers of the role of Tosca in her time, sharing the stage with Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, and Marcello Giordani.

Teaching and Legacy

Since 2006, Vaness has been teaching voice at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University Bloomington and conducting masterclasses at other institutions. Many of her performances have been recorded and are available on YouTube, including her famous duet from "Pagliacci" performed in 2008 and "Voi lo sapete" from "Cavalleria rusticana."