Photo: Barrie Erskine, Oakville Beaver

News

Benefit concert in Montreal for the McGill Chamber Orchestra

"An impressive vocal outpouring...listening to Radvanovsky sing operetta is a little like watching Rafael Nadal play badminton. She returned with two sumptuous Puccini arias, O Mio babbino caro (Gianni Schicchi) and Vissi d'arte (Tosca). We could believe her when she said that Tosca was her favourite opera. The tonal shifts were mesmerizing." (Montreal Gazette, 13 May 2009)

Sondra opens as Leonora in Covent Garden's production of Il Trovatore

"It was Sondra Radvanovsky's Leonora, in her big number outside the prison in Act 4, who stole the show. Gliding and swooping with consummate grace, she was able to fine her tone to a thread." (Evening Standard, 16 April 2009)

"Alagna desplegó sus encantos operísticos pero éstos no pudieron competir con los de Sondra Radvanovsky. Poco importó que fuera su debut en el rol de Leonora en la plaza difícil de Covent Garden. Lo había cantado antes en París, Chicago, Nueva York, Berlín y Bilbao y deslumbró a propios y extraños. Antes del interludio hubo titubeos y cierta frialdad interpretativa, pero las arias finales dejaron al descubierto una voz con vibratos insondables y una capacidad prodigiosa para controlar el color y el volumen de su voz. Recibió la mayor ovación de la noche. Merecidamente." (El Mundo, 16 April 2009)

"The evening's stand-out performance came from Sondra Radvanovsky, an impassioned, big-voiced Leonora. Firstly, it's a real Verdi colour - plangent, open, with bags of reach. But she's not all about big notes, this singer (though heaven knows she has them); her way with Verdi's expressively exacting hairpin dynamics was arresting and affecting in both her big arias...the immensely difficult arching phrases of "D'amor sull'ali rosee" in the last act told us that this lady was nothing if not the real thing." (Independent, 15 April 2009)

"Sondra Radvanovsky has enough voice to sing Leonora and a couple of other roles on the side. Scaling down her voluminous soprano to skip delicately around the trills and scales of Leonora's part is not easy, but wherever the music soars she comes into her own with impressively expansive singing. The big Verdi roles, such as Aida, surely beckon." (Financial Times, 15 April 2009)

"Radvanovsky is a true Verdian, with a big, juicy, vibrato-rich sound, and if the American soprano isn't always in complete command of her instrument, what's thrilling is how powerfully she deploys it. Where most Leonoras wilt - the fiercely dramatic Act IV scena - she comes into her own, making our heroine's climactic self-sacrifice for once seem like an heroic, rather than a farcical, decision." (London Times, 15 April 2009)

"The most riveting performance, both vocally and dramatically came from American soprano Sondra Radvanovsky as Leonora. Not only does she have a rock solid technique but she really knows how to sing Verdi. She scrupulously observed all his dynamic markings yet was never afraid to take risks. Her ability to hit a note and then produce a rapid diminuendo, whilst remaining on pitch, is not part of many sopranos armoury yet every time she attempted this she hit the bull's eye. Outstanding and she was rightly awarded the biggest ovation of the night." (MusicOMH, 15 April 2009)

"Sondra Radvanovsky, singing Leonora for the first time at Covent Garden, is beautifully controlled and dramatically alert." (What's on Stage, 14 April 2009)

Sondra brings her signature role of Leonora in Il Trovatore to the Metropolitan Opera

"The glory of the evening was Radvanovsky's Leonora. This artist's confidence as a Verdian, whatever the tempo or volume, seems to grow with each role. As in last season's Ernani, the firm, bright tone had a pliant strength that brought phrases and sometimes entire ensembles to life. There was a bit more steel than honey in some of her top soft notes on this occasion, but she used that edge in solos, especially her soaring 'D'amor sull'ali rosee' in Act IV, to dramatize the high-strung nature of this youthful, feminine Leonora." (Opera News, May 2009)

"The true star was his love interest, the sensational Sondra Radvanovsky. Like Kramer stumbling through Jerry’s door, she got an ovation just for appearing, and the audience did not come to regret their presumptuous applause. She sang forcefully, but with an exasperated, dramatic edge; she often delivered her arias on her knees. She stopped the show with Act IV’s climactic “D’amor sull’ali rosee” — her voice was confident yet delicate, wilting and lilting, bursting forth before dropping back to a whisper. She nailed each virtuosic passage as though it were merely what her emotional state at the time naturally demanded; she stopped singing the music and just started living it." (L Magazine, 17 March 2009)

"All four principals were in very fine voice, but the stand-out performance was the tender, intensely expressive Leonora of Sondra Radvanovsky. Her opulent, evenly produced soprano was marked by dynamic shading and clean, well-centered tone. She was impressive throughout but especially in 'Tacea la notte' (The night calmly and peacefully in beauty seemed reposing), the Act One aria in which she tells the story of her love for the troubadour. Her 'D'Amor sull'ali rosee' (On rosy wings of love depart), the Act Four aria in which she sends her love through the prison walls to comfort her lover Manrico, provided one of the most memorable moments." (Classical Source, March 2009)

"Sondra Radvanovsky sang Leonora’s long, arching phrases with rare power and dynamic finesse...she represents the gold standard among current spinto-sopranos." (Financial Times, 17 February 2009)

"A star-making performance from Sondra Radvanovsky." (The New Yorker, 23 February 2009)

"Most remarkable is soprano Sondra Radvanovksy as Leonora, a character who often seems little more than a pawn between rival suitors. Not this time around. With her intensely physical, near-hysterical performance, Radvanovsky turns Leonora into a spirited, feisty heroine. Her idiosyncratic timbre -- warm, earthy, yet not traditionally beautiful -- seems ideally coupled to the wildness of her interpretation. She doesn't stint on the vocal embellishments Verdi wrote into this difficult role, and she shows exceptional command of dynamics." (Variety, 17 February 2009)

"Singing what is presumably her unofficial farewell to the Met (no future assignments are scheduled), Sondra Radvanovsky was the clear audience favorite, a Leonora of uncommon vocal accomplishment. Although nurtured and brought up by the company, Radvanovsky is apparently perceived by Peter Gelb as not having sufficient star quality, but perhaps he will now have to change his mind. Not everyone may respond to this singular soprano's tight vibrato and plangent tonal coloring, but the sound is full and deep, utterly secure, deeply expressive and alive to every nuance in the text. There may be more publicized divas on the Met roster, but none has a more suitable instrument for Verdi or idiomatic understanding of the composer's style." (Musical America, 18 February 2009)

"Ms. Radvanovsky won an ardent ovation for her Leonora... She gives an intensely expressive and musically honest performance, letting phrases fly with bright, soaring sound and shaping passages with pianissimo tenderness. From her first appearance this vulnerable Leonora looks like a restless young woman full of yearning for her adored Manrico." (New York Times, 18 February 2009)

"As Leonora, the object of these two unhinged men, Sondra Radvanovsky offered a gorgeously sung performance, filled with beautifully spun phrases, even though McVicar unkindly asked her to spend rather a lot of time lying on the floor." (Bloomberg, 17 February 2009)

"The heartiest ovations of the night went to soprano Sondra Radvanovsky as the heroine, Leonora. With her strong, evenly produced sound and expressive flexibility she has all the makings of a first-rate Verdi soprano." (Associated Press, 17 February 2009)

Sondra Radvanovsky "pouring out molten rivers of sound" in her Washington National Opera debut in the title role of Lucrezia Borgia

"... some of the best singing I've heard in a long time

Once she went into fifth gear and began delivering long runs of notes, blending fluidity and strength, there was nothing to do but fasten your seat belt and be glad you were along for the ride.

Her voice has the ringing strength for this repertory, flowing in roulades from firm, bell-like top notes to a startlingly warm low, all with a sense of technical aplomb; the excitement she projects grows out of supreme competence.

...singing like this is all too rare these days" (Washington Post, 12 November 2008)

Sondra Radvanovsky "Mesmerizing", "Brilliant", and "Rapturous" as Suor Angelica

© Robert Millard - NY Times

"The outstanding performance of the evening was Sondra Radvanovsky's in the title role of Suor Angelica. This was one of those soul-searing, transformative experiences that, rare though they are, keep us coming to the opera. Radvanovsky's Angelica was middle-aged rather than young; she explored the mezzo resonances that extend her soprano range and gave a memorable portrait of extreme anguish. A brief aria, "Amici fiori," which had been cut at the time of the opera's Roman premiere in January 1919, was reinstated: it's addition, at the point where Angelica prepares the poison, gives her death a reassuring touch of existential conviction." (Opera News, December 2008)

"Suor Angelica stood out as the crown jewel of the evening. Soprano Sondra Radvanovsky was breathtaking in the title role. Much of her portrayal of the character Radvanovsky accomplished through the sheer beauty and mastery of her voice. In the powerful confrontation between Suor Angelica and The Princess, the softness of her character was crushed by the cruel coldness of Larissa Diadkova's magnificent Principessa... to witness Sondra Radvanovsky's Suor Angelica is worth the price of admission alone." (Beverly Hills Outlook, 11 October 2008)

"But what made the evening heavenly was Sondra Radvanovsky's tormented portrayal of Sister Angelica, whose riveting intensity and fervour brought the audience to their feet once again." (Opera Now)

"Blessed with a singer -- Sondra Radvonovsky -- of soul-piercing intensity in "Angelica,"" (Variety, 11 September 2008)

"Sondra Radvanovsky brought the audience to its feet in the lachrymose but irresistible Suor Angelica." (Daily Telegraph, 10 September 2008)

"Sondra Radvanovsky sang the lead - a noblewoman banished to a convent for having borne a child out of wedlock (oh, Sarah, where were you when they needed you! And why oh why couldn't there have been such forgiving Pentecostals as you back in the day?). Did she sing! To the rattling rafters and beyond. If the anguished cry of loss and helplessness at its maximum could be defined by a voice, this was that time. If you attend for no other reason than hearing Radvanovsky's impassioned performance - as wrenching as the best Butterfly's "Un bel di" - it will be worth the price of 10 admissions. Even Karl Rove (should such a down-home fella consider attending such an "elitist" type of happening) could be talked down from his hard-hearted calumny hearing her. "(LA Citybeat, 10 September 2008)

"Sondra Radvanovsky sealed her reputation as one of today's leading spinto sopranos with a harrowing portrait of the guilt-ridden Angelica, spinning out legato lines for a small eternity. (Financial Times, 10 September 2008)"

"Sondra Radvanovsky's Angelica was a veritable sensation. Radvanovsky sings with a certain coolness, her voice not rich but substantial, like chardonnay. She often seems to me more admirable than lovable, but she was pretty terrific here, from big climaxes to a pianissimo held out beyond what seemed humanly possible." (Washington Post, 9 September 2008)

"...the success of this production rests heavily on the emotionally wrenching performance delivered by Sondra Radvanovsky in the title role...
Radvanovsky's performance is heart-rending, both for the intensity of her acting and the power of her singing, which is capable of lacerating intensity and dulcet pianissimo poetry. Her final vision of suicidal redemption is a tour de force of stagecraft that offers a wellspring of enigmatic interpretations." (LA Daily News and Dailybreeze, 9 September 2008)

"The soprano Sondra Radvanovsky brings her earthy voice to Angelica...she sings with unflinching honesty and uncommon intensity, especially in the wrenching aria when she learns that her son has died, without ever knowing his mother's comforting arms." (New York Times, 8 September 2008)

"...A rapturous performance as Angelica by Sondra Radvanovsky" (LA Times, 8 September 2008)

"But it was the potentially treacly Suor Angelica that provided the evening's best singing, with soprano Sondra Radvanovsky as the eponymous nun leaving barely a dry eye in the house in a performance of overwhelming emotional commitment and stunning tone, projection and enunciation - her "Senza Mama" delivered recumbent, no less." (Musical America, 8 September 2008)

"…the super-sad Suor Angelica, with Sondra Radvanovsky wringing tones of deep torment as a nun atoning for a bygone transgression, finally redeemed by a visitation from the Virgin Mary. " (Bloomberg.com, 7 September 2008)

"Sondra Radvanovsky, as Suor Angelica, provided the most memorable singing of the evening. It's a big, luscious and flexible voice, and if she occasionally turned shrill at amplitude, she backed it up with a fully plumbed portrayal of the nun with a tragic past. " (OC Register, 7 September 2008)

"Sondra Radvanovsky sings the title role and accomplishes the unthinkable with her mesmerizing oration, grabbing control of every note every breath and every plea that leaves the audience in complete awe. Some of Puccini's most emotional and soaring lines are embedded in Suor Angelica, and Radvanovsky delivers brilliantly." (Concertonet.com, 6 September 2008)

"Soprano Sondra Radvanovsky sang fabulously in the title role of the tear-jerker Sour Angelica, earning a deserved standing ovation. Coming from a noble family, Angelica entered a convent years earlier after giving birth out of wedlock. When her aunt, the Principessa, informs her that her son has died, she kills herself to join her son in heaven." (Associated Press, September 2008)

"I was still in tears by the end all due to the single most important reason to see this production - Sondra Radvanovsky. Her performance in the title role is nothing short of amazing. This is no surprise to my ears and I continue to think she deserves all the adulation otherwise enjoyed by a number of vocalists with much higher profiles these days. It seemed that the immediate, rousing standing ovation she received indicated that plenty of others agree." (Out West Arts - Blog, 7 September 2008)

Sondra Radvanovsky debuts in the title role of Suor Angelica

Sondra stars with the LA Opera in her role debut in Suor Angelica. Listen as Sondra appears on Behind the Curtain Podcast Series

Suor Angelica performance dates are September 6, 11, 14, 17, 21, 23, 26

Love, Lust & Greed - Sondra brings Manon Lescaut to life in her role debut in Leipzig

"…the soprano Sondra Radvanovsky,…sang an enchanting, utterly sophisticated Manon, with a large voice and seemingly unlimited potential" (Opera, Steptember 2008)

"Sondra Radvanovskys' Manon sings with a primal power, making the full range of lust and despair seductively audible as an emotional outburst." (freiepresse.de, 14 May 2008)

"From act to act her voice blossoms ever more radiantly. From that of the young and uncertain woman to the full volume cries of later anguish and pain. Her voice is well guided, even beautiful in its modulation, though perhaps too direct, too self-assured, maybe even too powerful for a Manon split within herself.Her very last words, "my sins will soon be forgotten, my love will be eternal," have the stamp of assured certainty." (Süddeutsche Zeitung, 13 Maz 2008)

"...every facet of this contradictory character is projected through Sondra Radvanovsky's voice - purest joy and darkest despair, elegant seduction and ultimate release from painful torture." (Mitteldeutsche Zeitung, 13 May 2008)

"Sondra Radvanovsky lends this Manon, who is obliterated by the forces of love, lust and greed, an endlessly rich tableau of colors. Gently exhaled vows of love, sinful vocal nuances ensnaring the men, the harsh metallic thrust of despair. And when, at last, she moans - alone, lost and deserted on an empty stage - not a few in the audience reached for a handkerchief, if they haven't already held it in readiness since the transporting earlier intermezzo, which itself shifted standards." (Leipziger Volkszeitung, 10 May 2008)

Read Sondra's interview with the Met Opera

"Verdi Woman - Sondra Radvanovsky, Elvira in Ernani, talks about having to deal with three suitors and recalls a very special birthday present"

Read the full interview here

As Elvira, Sondra triumphs over the flu on opening night at the Met

"Sondra Radvanovsky, singing through a vocal indisposition, proved to need not a bit of sympathy or indulgence. Hers was the most consistent performance of the evening, an accurate, graceful and impassioned account of every soprano phrase in the score. Her tone was firm over the wide range of this sweeping role, and no ailment jarred those ingratiating high diminuendos that have become a Radvanovsky trademark. This Elvira seemed more spontaneous and less of an automaton than is often the case." (Opera News, 2008)

"Sondra Radvanovsky is a hugely committed artist whose sense of text and strong projection are ideal for Verdi. An affecting actress, Radvanovsky ensured that although Elvira is thrown from one man to the next, she remained an active character, and I was impressed at her ability to ride the orchestra and chorus during the concertati." (Musical Criticism, 11 April 2008)

"The Met's revival is a step up for the evening's Elvira, Sondra Radvanovsky. Hers could well be a major career. She sang with a viral infection, rendering her usually potent soprano occasionally brittle and underpowered. But the important qualities came through: intense and convincing involvement, statuesque presence and sound musicianship." (New York Times, 19 March 2008)

"She gleamed quite nicely through all four acts" (New York Magazine, 18 March 2008)

"While her first notes, the cabaletta "Ernani, involami", is the most difficult in the whole opera, she came out wonderfully... But she not only improved throughout the opera, but in the one duet with her lover, she seemed faultless." (Concerto.net, 17 March 2008)

JANUARY 2008
Sondra made her debut at La Scala in one of her signature roles - Roxane in Cyrano de Bergerac, with Placido Domingo in the title role.

"Sondra Radvanovsky portrayed a bold and beguiling Roxane, with great stage presence, vocally round, full and splendid" (La Panania, February 3, 2008)

"No less, for her effectiveness and bravura, is Sondra Radvanovsky, wonderful soprano in the role of Roxane to whom Alfano gives the few melodic moments in order to wring applause (from the audience) …" (La Stampa, Fbeurary 2, 2008)

"…in addition to Domingo, a Roxane of a splendid timbre as Sondra Radvanovsky…" (Corriere della Sera, February 1, 2008)

"…from the magnificent Roxane of Sondra Radvanovsky…" (Corriere del Ticino, January 31, 2008)

"Worthy of note is the intensity of Sondra Radvanovsky's interpretation of Roxane." (Giornale della Musica, 30 January 2008)

NOVEMBER
Sondra Radvanovsky made a superb debut as Elvira in Verdi's Ernani at the Teatro Verdi in Trieste, a role she will reprise at the Met in March & April

"Rising to the occasion was Sondra Radvanovsky, able to portray a beleaguered but determined woman, an Elvira of beautiful presence and florid voice, who impresses by the power and flexibility of her voice." (Il Piccolo, November 23, 2007)

"New to us was Sondra Radvanovsky, an American from Chicago, beautiful to look at, who displayed a rich voice, well controlled with luminous high notes and soft accents." (Messaggero Veneto, November 24, 2007)

"Sondra Radvanovsky, Elvira, is blessed with a huge voice... The opening aria, which everyone recognizes as being very difficult because it is sung 'cold', was beautiful with a wealth of colours and shading. Her Elvira is a temperamental young woman, fiercely in love, young and determined, passionate, magnificent. The best moment was in the finale of the opera, when, desperate, she turns on Silva with a savage fury and then immediately begs his forgiveness: the passage between the two opposing states of mind succeeded beautifully, softening the modulation splendidly." (Operaclick, November 24, 2007)

"…the sumptuous Sondra Radvanovsky takes us back to the young Verdi." (La Repubblica, November 11, 2007)

"The young and Junoesque Sondra Radvanovsky created a credible and distressed Elvira and from the vocal standpoint, displayed a powerful and burnished voice, open, capable of controlling the messe di voce and a sustained mezza voce." (ZENO, December 2007)

"One can say the same for the wonderful American Sondra Radvanovsky, who debuted in the role of Elvira...the breath-control is perfect and the tone also which moves in an expressive balance between the clear and darker colours with remarkable ease while remaining always true." (Vita Nuova, November 30, 2007)

OCTOBER
Sondra Radvanovsky -- "Luminous and fascinating" in her debut at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa in one of her favourite and most acclaimed roles: Elena in Verdi’s I Vespri Siciliani.

"The cast was dominated by the vocal quality and stage presence of Sondra Radvanovsky, an Elena of strong temperament who, in the fourth act, received the warmest and most convincing applause by the entire house (and the only one, perhaps, not benefitting from an organized 'claque." (La Repubblica Genova, October 21, 2007)

"American soprano Sondra Radvanovsky sang Duchess Elena and she gave a totally brilliant performance, in spite of the initial warning that she was suffering a cold. She is one of the most important spinto sopranos of our time, with a dark voice of great beauty, outstanding phrasing and a powerful and bright vocal acuity. Add to all of this her attractive figure and her skills as an actress and it sums up her excellent perfomance...In this role she has no rival nowadays, to my mind." (Seen & Heard, 30 October 2007)

"Sondra Radvanovsky impressed with the fullness and beauty of her voice, creating a sensitive and powerful Elena. Ovations to her. " (Il Secolo XIX, October 20, 2007)

"…the luminous and fascinating Sondra Radvanovsky" (La Repubblica, October 22, 2007)

"…revealed a jewel in Sondra Radvanovsky: a beautiful timbre, a lovely legato, sensitive, with character: a perfect Elena." (Corriere della Sera, October 21, 2007)

"…and if anyone thinks, and not without reason, that the Verdi soprano is extinct, they would be proved wrong by Radvanovsky's Elena - vocally hot, powerful and flexible, lyric and dramatic, capable of agile dominance" (La Stampa, October 22, 2007)

"In the performance on Friday at the Teatro Carlo Felice, of special note were the bass Orlin Anastassov and the soprano Sondra Radvanovsky, who interpreted Giovanni da Procida and Elena. They captured completely the power of the characters and left the public breathless with the beauty and warmth of their voices." (Mentelocale, 22 October 2007)

"We place very highly Sondra Radvanovsky, who has even improved her style and her technique since the Paris performances. She is now as at ease in the light passages as she is in the moments of authority. She creates a character of a Racinian violence, noble, sculptural" (lepetitjournal.com, October 23, 2007)

Check out The Listening Room on the Opera News website to hear Sondra talk about the records that comprise the soundtrack of her life.

Recent Accolades

Sondra makes her debut with the CSO in Verdi's Requiem

"Two of the Requiem's most affecting sections are the duets for soprano and mezzo-soprano soloist, and here the American soprano Sondra Radvanovsky and the Swiss mezzo Yvonne Naef blended voices beautifully....
Radvanovsky made the terror and anguish of 'Libera me' palpable against the chorus' thundering its final shouts of the 'Dies irae.'" (Chicago Tribune, 16 June, 2007)

"Radvanovsky led the final 'Libera me,' essentially an opera scene within a requiem, with power and poignancy."(Chicago Sun-Times, 16 June, 2007)

Sondra "conquered" at the Luminato Festival's Opera Gala - LUNA

"Soprano Sondra Radvanovsky came and conquered. American-born, she is the leading international Verdian who now calls Toronto home, yet she never sings here. The crowd went crazy for her formidable range, woody-honey voice and impassioned singing." (Classical 96.3, 11 June 2007)

"The moment she began to sing it was clear that this is a performer who was born to do big tragic Italian roles. Her voice was large and radiant, and seemed drenched with tears no matter what she sang. It was almost shocking how much power she could muster in her upper range, though as she proved in the D'amor sul'ali rosee (from Verdi's Il Trovatore) she could also shrink to pianissimo in the same territory with no loss of tone or projection. Her sense of what she was singing was equally expansive: she even squeezed some fresh feeling from a hard-worn excerpt from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi (O mio babbino caro)." (Globe and Mail, 11 June 2007)

'Trovatore' stirs Music Hall crowd in Cincinnati

"(The cheers and applause) continued so long after soprano Sondra Radvanovsky's powerfully emotive scene outside Manrico's cell (act IV) that she waved cheerfully for the audience to desist so the opera could continue...Radvanovsky's youth, good looks and creamy, flexible voice with its mezzo-like heft, mark her as a dawning diva." (The Cincinnati Post, 21 May 2007)

"Interest was high for Radvanovsky, who was reared in nearby Richmond, Ind., and inspired to pursue opera after trips to Cincinnati Opera as a girl. Now an international star, she has made Leonore one of her signature roles, performing it more than 135 times.
Hers was a dazzling, enthralling and well-paced performance of this demanding role. One of a new breed of opera singer, Radvanovsky possesses both physical beauty and vocal splendor, with a dusky lower register and rapturous high notes. Her sound filled the hall's immense space like none other.
The soprano's coloratura sparkled in her first act cabaletta, "Di tale amor." She poured out her heart in the emotional Act IV "D'amor sull'ali rosee" (On rosy wings of love) with stunning phrasing, and wiped away a tear at the audience's extended ovation. It was a spectacular scene, set against the hushed chorus intoning "Miserere" and the troubadour singing offstage." (The Enquirer, 20 May 2007)

Last Updated: May 13, 2009

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