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Luana DeVolAmerican opera singer-soprano
Country:
 USA |
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Biography of Luana DeVol
Luana DeVol is an American operatic soprano who made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in April 2007. Born in 1943 in San Mateo, California, DeVol developed an early interest in music and began playing the violin at the age of five. She later realized her passion for singing and started taking vocal lessons with Donald Stenberg. DeVol attended Capuchino High School in San Bruno, California, and went on to become a student at the College of San Mateo.
Early Career
In the summer of 1963, DeVol performed a notable role in the comic opera "Patience" by Gilbert and Sullivan at the San Mateo Community Theatre. This led to an invitation to join the San Francisco Opera Chorus, and after winning the Metropolitan Opera Auditions, DeVol traveled to London to study with Hungarian singer and renowned vocal coach Vera Rosza. She then returned to San Francisco to continue her training with the legendary Wagnerian tenor Jess Thomas. DeVol also worked with Janet Parlova, who continues to mentor her to this day.
Rise to Fame
DeVol performed extensively in the San Francisco Bay Area and made her debut as an opera soloist in the role of Leonore in Beethoven's "Fidelio" at the West Bay Opera in Palo Alto. Since then, her fame has spread worldwide, and her repertoire has expanded significantly. In the mid-1980s, DeVol primarily performed in Europe and achieved great success with German repertoire. Her European debut took place in 1983 at the Wuerttembergische Staatsoper in Stuttgart, Germany, once again as Leonore in "Fidelio."
International Success
After a brief return to the United States, DeVol performed as Leonore in Verdi's "La forza del destino" at the Seattle Opera and in the leading role of "Ariadne auf Naxos" at the San Francisco Opera. In 1984, she became a member of the Theater Aachen ensemble, specializing in works by Strauss, Verdi, and Wagner.
DeVol's repertoire includes roles such as Marschallin in "Der Rosenkavalier," Elisabetta in "Don Carlos," Senta in "Der fliegende Holländer," Elsa in "Lohengrin," Agathe in "Der Freischütz," Donna Anna in "Don Giovanni," Amelia in "Un ballo in maschera," the title role in "Aida," and many others. She has also performed as a guest artist at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and Bremerhaven, as well as theaters in Mannheim, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Berlin, Zurich, and the Nederlandse Oper. As a concert singer, DeVol has performed and recorded with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. She has also recorded for the Bayer Music Group label.
In 1990, DeVol made her debut at La Scala in Milan, once again in Beethoven's "Fidelio." She has also performed at the Salzburg Easter Festival and the Bayreuth Festival in the role of Brünnhilde in Wagner's "Siegfried." In addition to opera, Luana DeVol enjoys performing choral works by Beethoven and Johannes Brahms.
