Soprano Cecilia Angell has been lauded by Chicago Tribune for her “dark tone that is rich and velvety.” Conductor Steven Crawford (formerly of the Metropolitan Opera) noted that “she sings with a passion that is not heard very often these days,” while David Shengold observed that she is “an exciting singing actress [who] displays excellent musicianship, especially in managing well high, soft attacks.”The Star Ledger recognized that she “stole scenes without batting an eyelash.” On more than one occasion, Ms. Angell has compelled critics to comment on her “strikingly attractive beauty” (The Sunday Record) and on a “charismatic stage presence [that] is magnetic” (Asbury Park Press).

In the 2009-10 season, Cecilia Angell records an album of Verdi arias. In 2008-09, she released “Leading Ladies,” her debut album featuring arias by Barber, Catalani, de Falla, Giordano, Granados, Mascagni, Mozart, Puccini, and Verdi.

Engagements in recent seasons include Leonora in Il trovatore with New Jersey State Repertory Opera and on tour with National Lyric Opera, Carmen to open the inaugural season of Seattle’s Lyric Opera Northwest, and understudy to Denyce Graves’ Carmen with Orlando Opera. Tobias Picker invited Ms. Angell to perform Madame Raquin in the New York premiere of his Théresè Raquin. She also sang in a Verdi Opera Gala at Van Vleck Gardens and appeared as guest soloist in St. Jean Baptiste’s Carrolle Singe in New York. Also in New York, she performed Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana (which she previously sang with Knoxville Opera), Salud in Falla’s La vida breve, and the title role in critically acclaimed performances of Vanessa with Dicapo Opera Theatre.

Cecilia Angell made her professional debut in 1988 as Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte with Dallas Opera (opposite Frank Lopardo’s Tamino) and performed as a mezzo-soprano for several seasons. Praised for her interpretation of Carmen, Ms. Angell prompted Opera News to write “born to play Carmen!” She has performed the role with Opera Idaho, Metro Lyric Opera, Augusta Opera, New Jersey State Opera, Opera Grand Rapids, Virginia Opera, Hawaii Opera, Spokane Symphony, West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Korean American Opera (Seoul), and Opera Metropolitana de Caracas. She has a close association with La vida breve, as well, and performed Abuela in concerts with San Francisco Symphony, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra (broadcast on WQXR), BBC Symphony Orchestra (broadcast live on BBC Radio 3), and Simón Bolívar Symphony (Venezuela). Also with Simón Bolívar Symphony, she recorded Abuela on the Dorian label with Eduardo Mata. Ms. Angell sang Salud and Falla’s Siete Canciones populares Españolas at Grant Park Music Festival.

Other mezzo-soprano performance highlights include the title role in Mascagni’s Zanetto with New Jersey State Opera, Dorabella in Così fan tutte with Connecticut Grand Opera, soloist in Lalo Schifrin’s Cantos Aztecas with San Antonio Symphony, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with Queens Symphony Orchestra, Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder with National Symphony Orchestra of her native Lima, Peru, and, with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Falla’s El Sombrero de Tres Picos.

Ms. Angell graduated Curtis Institute of Music. While still studying, she performed Thisbe in La Cenerentola with Opera Company of Philadelphia (opposite Maria Ewing in the title role). She made her New York recital debut at Merkin Hall in 1985, of which Will Crutchfield remarked in the New York Times “Cecilia Angell is a performer of passion, charm and honest sentiment. She knows how to communicate and she knows how to get an audience excited…She sings with an openness of feeling that warms the heart.” Ms. Angell is the mother of twin sons and lives in New Jersey with her husband.

September 2009