- Ruth Ann Swenson
Ruth Ann Swenson (
August 25 ,1959 ) is an Americansoprano who is renowned for her brilliance in coloratura roles.Born in
Bronxville, New York and raised inCommack, New York onLong Island , Swenson studied at theAcademy of Vocal Arts inPhiladelphia and briefly at Hartt College of Music inWest Hartford, Connecticut . In the early 1980s she joined the Merola Program at the San Francisco Opera and toured the country as Gilda in Western Opera Theater'sRigoletto .She began to study with
Dickson Titus and made herSan Francisco Opera debut in 1983, as Despina inMozart 'sCosì fan tutte . But her breakthrough role was Dorinda the shepherdess inHandel 's "Orlando" opposite mezzoMarilyn Horne . HerMetropolitan Opera debut came in 1991, as Zerlina in Mozart's "Don Giovanni ". In1993 , she won theRichard Tucker Music Foundation Award.Husband
Ruth Ann Swenson is married to baritone David Burnakus, whom she met in Western Opera's
Rigoletto tour. Swenson and Burnakus make their home in California.Career
Swenson has appeared on many of the great opera stages of the world, including the
Opera National de Paris , theRoyal Opera House atCovent Garden , theBerlin State Opera , theGrand Théâtre de Genève , theHamburg State Opera , theBavarian State Opera and theChicago Lyric Opera . [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/pop/1403AP_People_Ruth_Ann_Swenson.html]Roles she has played include Liù in "
Turandot ", Rosina in "The Barber of Seville ", the Four Heroines in "The Tales of Hoffmann ", Elvira in "I Puritani ", Zerbinetta in "Ariadne auf Naxos ", Gilda in "Rigoletto " (49 performances at the Met alone), Juliette in "Roméo et Juliette " and Giulietta in "I Capuleti e i Montecchi ", Violetta in "La Traviata ", Lucia in "Lucia di Lammermoor ", Adina in "L'elisir d'amore ", Marguerite in "Faust", the Countess in "The Marriage of Figaro ", and Rodelinda in "Rodelinda ".Swenson received an honorary doctorate degree in April 2006 from the
San Francisco Conservatory of Music , where she has taught master classes.Breast Cancer
Swenson was diagnosed with
breast cancer and underwent surgery in October 2006 atMemorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center . She receivedchemotherapy treatment as a precautionary measure following surgery. She stated that her prognosis is excellent. [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/pop/1403AP_People_Ruth_Ann_Swenson.html]Recovery
In March
2007 , she returned to the stage of theMetropolitan Opera , singing the role of Marguerite in "Faust". The March 17 performance was broadcast internationally. On April 21, 2007 she performed the role of Cleopatra in Handel's "Giulio Cesare" at the Met, also broadcast internationally. In May 2007 she again sang Marguerite at Cincinnati Opera, and sang the role of "Hannah Glawari" at theDallas Opera 'sThe Merry Widow in November-December 2007 oppositeRod Gilfry , her longtime colleague.In June 2008 she sang Ginevra in
Handel 's "Ariodante " opposite mezzoSusan Graham at San Francisco Opera, a production that marked Swenson's 25th anniversary with the company. Also in 2008 she will again sing Violetta at the Metropolitan Opera.External links
* [http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/frame.htm MetOpera database]
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