American lyric soprano (born 1972)
Arianna Zukerman
(born 1972) is an American
lyric soprano
who has performed with some of the world's finest
orchestras
and
opera
companies. Her voice was described in
The Washington Post
as "remarkable" combining the "range, warmth and facility of a
Rossini
mezzo
with shimmering, round high notes and exquisite pianissimos."
[1]
Early life and education
[
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]
Zukerman was born on December 7, 1972. Her father
Pinchas Zukerman
is a noted
violinist
and
conductor
and her mother
Eugenia Zukerman
is a
flautist
, writer, and correspondent for the arts on the television program,
CBS Sunday Morning
. Zukerman has one younger sibling,
Natalia Zukerman
, who is a noted singer and songwriter.
[2]
Zukerman initially studied theatre at
Brown University
but then transferred to the
Juilliard School
where she earned a Bachelor of Music in vocal studies. During this time, Zukerman also studied at the
Chautauqua Institution
's summer opera training program from 1993 to 1997. While in this program she performed the roles of Ginerva in
Handel
's
Ariodante
in 1996 and the title role in Handel's
Alcina
in 1997 under the direction of
Chas Rader-Schieber
.
In 1997, Zukerman made her professional opera debut with the
Berkshire Opera Company
as Barbarina in
Mozart
's
Le nozze di Figaro
. She returned to Berkshire the following year to perform and record the role of Anna Gomez in
Gian Carlo Menotti
's
The Consul
. This was the first complete recording made of that opera. In the Spring of 1999, she made her debut with
Opera Illinois
as Susanna in Mozart's
Le nozze di Figaro
.
In March 1999 Zukerman entered the
Bavarian State Opera
's Young Artist program where she stayed for one year. While in Munich, she performed the roles of Prinzessin Nicoletta in
Prokofiev's
Die Liebe zu den drei Orangen
, Die Schlepptragerin in
Richard Strauss
'
Elektra
, Barbarina in Mozart's
Le nozze di Figaro
and Taumannchen in
Humperdinck
's
Hansel und Gretel
among others. She also covered for several roles including the parts of Marzelline in
Beethoven
's
Fidelio
and Ginevra in Handel's
Ariodante
. Also during this time Zukerman returned to the United States in 2000 to perform the role of Wilma in the world premiere of
Jean-Michel Damase
's opera
Ochelata's Wedding
at the
OK Mozart Festival
, Nanetta in
Verdi
's
Falstaff
with Opera Illinois, and Zerlina in Mozart's
Don Giovanni
with the Berkshire Opera Company.
Career
[
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]
After leaving the Bavarian State Opera in March 2000, Zukerman returned to the United States and began performing lead opera roles in regional houses across the United States as well as occasionale performances in Europe, including several recitals in Spain with pianists
Brian Zeger
and
Mikael Eliasen
.
In the 2001?2002 season she performed the role of Barbarina in
Mozart
's
Le nozze di Figaro
with the
Gulbenkian Foundation
in
Lisbon
under the baton of
Lawrence Foster
. She also sang the world premiere of
Libby Larsen
's
Notes Slipped Under the Door
and made her debut with the
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
under conductor
Ivor Bolton
with whom she sang the soprano solo in Mozart's
C Minor Mass
and the roles of Solomon's Queen and the First Harlot in
Handel
's
Solomon
.
[3]
In the 2002?2003 season, Zukerman sang the role of Pamina in Mozart's
The Magic Flute
with
Chattanooga Opera
, the role of the Governess in
Britten
's
The Turn of the Screw
with
Chicago Opera Theater
, and created the role of Nizza in the world premiere of
Donizetti
's long-lost opera
Elisabeth
at the
Caramoor Music Festival
.
[3]
Also in 2002, Zukerman won the
Willam Matheus Sullivan Foundation Singer Award
which considerably raised her profile as an opera singer and helped Zukerman gain the attention of major opera houses and orchestras.
In the 2003?2004 season Zukerman gave performances with the
Minnesota Orchestra
and at the
Vail Valley Music Festival
.
[4]
She also sang with the
Eos Orchestra
in orchestrated and staged
Schubert
songs (staged by
Peter Kazaras
), made her debut with the
Colorado Symphony
singing Handel's
Messiah
with
Marin Alsop
, and sang
Verdi
's
Requiem
with the
UC Davis Symphony
and the
Cathedral Choral Society
in
Washington, D.C.
In the 2004?2005 season Zukerman made her debut with
Arizona Opera
in the role of Despina in Mozart's
Cosi fan tutte
, her debut with
Cedar Rapids Opera
as Susanna in Mozart's
Le nozze di Figaro
, and sang the role of Micaela in
Bizet
's
Carmen
with the
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
. She performed with the
American Bach Soloists
as the soprano soloist in their production of
Handel
's
Messiah
, the
Rochester Philharmonic
in
Mahler
's
Symphony No. 4
, the UC Davis Symphony in
Mahler
's Symphony No. 2, the
University Musical Society
in
Haydn
's
Creation
, and performances with
Red
, the
Vermeer Quartet
, and the
Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra
. She also sang at the
Savannah Music Festival
and a gave a concert of
Bach
arias in New York.
[5]
During the 2005?2006 season Zukerman made her debut with the
New York City Opera
in the roles of Tisiphone, Charito, and Aphrodite in
Mark Adamo
's
Lysistrata
and returned to Chattanooga Opera to perform the role of Euridice in
Gluck
's
Orfeo ed Euridice
. She also sang Mozart's
Exultate, jubilate
with the
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
and
Jackson Symphony Orchestra
, and sang
Haydn
's
Creation
with the
Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra
. She also appeared as a soloist in the holiday concerts presented at the
Kennedy Center
by
The Choral Arts Society of Washington
.
[5]
In the 2006?2007 season Zukerman made her debut with the
Boston Symphony Orchestra
under
James Levine
in
Schoenberg
's
Moses und Aron
, sang under her father's baton in the
National Arts Centre Orchestra
's production of Verdi's
Requiem
, and performed in two productions of the
Messiah
with the
Rochester Philharmonic
and the
Virginia symphony
. Zukerman also performed the role of Susanna in Mozart's
Le nozze di Figaro
with the
National Philharmonic
, appeared as a soloist at the
Kennedy Center
's New Year's Eve Gala, gave a concert of Mozart arias at the
University of California at Davis
, and performed as a soloist in
Dvo?ak
's
Stabat Mater
with the
Chancel Choir
in Dallas. Zukerman also toured the United States with the
Miami String Quartet
and made her first collaboration with
Lorin Maazel
as Female Chorus in
The Rape of Lucretia
in performances at the conductor's farm in Virginia.
[6]
In the summer of 2007 Zukerman made her debut with the
Philadelphia Orchestra
as soloist in
Beethoven
's Symphony No. 9. The performances took place at the
Mann Center
in
Philadelphia
, at the
Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival
with
Rossen Milanov
conducting; and at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center with
Charles Dutoit
conducting. She also sang Mozart's
Regina Coeli
and
Coronation Mass
with the
New Hampshire Music Festival
.
In the 2007?08 season Zukerman performed with
Music of the Baroque
, the
Gulbenkian Orchestra
in
Lisbon
, the
National Philharmonic
, the
Long Island Philharmonic
, the
Rapides Symphony Orchestra
, the
American Classical Orchestra
, the
Vermont Symphony Orchestra
, and the
National Philharmonic Orchestra
. She also performed the role of Musetta in
Puccini
's
La boheme
in a concert version with the
Philadelphia Orchestra
. In addition, she gave a recital of Schumann lieder with pianist
Marc Neikrug
and perform with the
Miami String Quartet
at the
Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival
in July 2008.
[7]
Since 2008, Zukerman has been on the voice faculty of the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music of The Catholic University of America. In 2015, she was named Chair of Vocal Studies at the
Wintergreen Summer Music Festival and Academy
.
Personal life
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]
In 2007, Zukerman married Peter L. Sekulow, a group sales manager for the
Washington Capitals
hockey team.
[2]
Recordings
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]
References
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External links
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