SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 11:00 AM,
SOPRANO ROULETTE
Soprano and Guest Speaker: Soprano Katherine Powers and Pianist Victoria Kirsch
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Artists' Entrance, Rehearsal Room 4
The Pacific Opera Project co-hosts this event along with the Opera League.
Come spin the wheel with Katherine Powers (LA Opera Connects Teaching Artist) and pianist Victoria Kirsch as they unfold the mystery behind the soprano's ethereal voice. From the sparkling coloratura to the velvety lyric soprano each voice has its own tale to tell. Whether you are a seasoned opera lover or a curious newcomer, knowledge, and melody will intertwine to enlighten us through performance and discourse as we learn about the blueprints behind some of the most famous roles in opera.
Join us for an exclusive, complimentary event for members of the Opera League, their guests, and friends of the Pacific Opera Project. Delight in the camaraderie by bringing your favorite goodies to share at our pre-presentation reception. Let's make this gathering as memorable as the music!
Bio's of Performers/Speakers:
Katherine Powers
Lauded as “smart singer” with a “gorgeous, clear voice (Operaworld.com), soprano Katherine Powers made a splash with LA Opera’s 2015 Figaro Unbound series when she stepped in with less than two weeks' notice for the lead role in Paisiello’s Il barbiere di Siviglia under the baton of Maestro James Conlon. She made her LA Opera debut in 2015 in the Grammy Award-winning production of The Ghosts of Versailles. Notable roles include Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire, Frasquita in Carmen, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Musetta in La Bohème, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Alice in Falstaff, Tytania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, and the title role in The Merry Widow. She was a teaching artist for Long Beach Opera from 2016-2018, and for LA Opera Connects since 2012, for whom she created and hosted the eight-part "Shakespeare Sings" web series. Katherine has served as Executive Director of Pacific Opera Project since early 2023, and spearheads development, finance, and strategic planning. She previously served as the founding Director of Vocal Arts at California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley. She has been involved with LA Opera Connects Education programs and performances for many years, as well.
Victoria Kirsch
Collaborative pianist Victoria Kirsch creates and performs innovative programs, including concerts based on museum exhibitions and staged art song/poetry programs. A Continuing Lecturer at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music, she serves as a coach and pianist for vocal students and fellow faculty. Victoria has worked with national and regional opera companies, including LA Opera and Long Beach Opera, and she served as an official pianist for the Operalia Competition and the Metropolitan Opera’s National Council Auditions.
She was the onstage pianist for soprano Julia Migenes (Carmen in the award-winning opera film directed by Francesco Rosi), touring the world for many years with the celebrated singing actress. Victoria has been a teaching artist for LA Opera’s Continuing Education Department and the LA Opera League, and she served on the faculties of USC’s Thornton School of Music, SongFest, and Angels Vocal Art. She was associated with the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara for many years, playing in the studio of renowned baritone and master teacher Martial Singher and serving as a member of the vocal faculty.