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World Renowned Soprano in Melbourne
Australian Music Events is proud to present Yvonne Kenny to Opera in the Market 2009.
Yvonne Kenny AM is one of the most distinguished sopranos of her generation. She has sung in many of the world's prestigious opera houses including The Royal Opera Covent Garden; Wiener Staatsoper; La Scala Milan; Berlin Staatsoper; Bayerische Staatsoper Munich; La Fenice Venice; Zurich, Paris Opera; San Francisco Opera and Glyndebourne Festival. She has won particular international renown in the great Handel roles, notably Semele, Alcina, Romilda (Xerxes), Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare) and Armida (Rinaldo) as well as for her performances of the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier (English National Opera, San Francisco Opera, Minneapolis, New Zealand International Festival, Wiener Staatsoper) and the Countess in Capriccio (Wiener Staatsoper, Berlin Staatsoper, Dresden Staatsoper). She returns frequently to Australia where her roles for Opera Australia have included Pamina, Susanna, Massenet's Manon, Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), Alice Ford (Falstaff), the Governess (The Turn of the Screw), the title roles in Maria Stuarda, L’incoronazione di Poppea, The Gypsy Princess, The Merry Widow and La Voix Humaine.
On the concert platform, Yvonne Kenny has appeared regularly throughout Europe, Australia and North America. She has featured at the Edinburgh, Salzburg and Aix-en-Provence Festivals and is a regular guest at the BBC Promenade concerts. She is a frequent guest of Australia’s symphony orchestras, and has toured with the ACO and Musica Viva. She has recorded for Decca, Teldec, RCA, Sony, Decca, Opera Rara and Hyperion under such conductors as Solti, Harnoncourt, Slatkin, Salonen, Mackerras and Bonynge. Her ABC Classics recordings include the best-selling Simple Gifts and Something Wonderful, Handel Arias with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, (Best Classical Recording Aria Awards, 1998), The Salley Gardens, Clair de lune and most recently, The Divine Yvonne Kenny.
Recent performances have included a repeat of her acclaimed performance as the Governess for the Cheltenham Festival, a solo concert at the BBC Proms, the world premiere of A Touch of Venus at the Wigmore Hall followed by a national tour for Musica Viva, concerts with the MSO and Malaysian Philharmonic, the title role in Fedora for Opera Holland Park/London and several major recording projects. She has given master classes at the Aldeburgh Festival and was a panellist on ABC/TV’s Operatunity OZ. 2007/08 engagements have included her role debut as Blanche in the Australian premiere of A Street Car Named Desire for Opera Australia, a recital at the Kangaroo Valley Festival, concerts with the SSO under Sir Charles Mackerras, Leeuwin Estate Concert/2008, Opera in the Alps, Carols in the Domain, Lady Billows in Albert Herring at the Salzburg’s Spring Festival and Alice Ford in London.
Yvonne Kenny was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1989, and in 1999 was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Music by the University of Sydney. She is Professor of Voice at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
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