Frances Pappas (born 27 June 1964) is a Canadian-Greek operatic

mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C ...

Life

Pappas was born in Toronto. After completing her studies at the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

she continued her studies with a scholarship from the Arts Council of Ontario at the

University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna The University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (german: link=no, Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien, abbreviated MDW) is an Austrian university located in Vienna, established in 1817. With a student body of over three thousa ...

. She had her first permanent engagement at the Stadttheater Gießen. Afterwards, she gave guest performances as a freelance artist, among others at the

Wiener Festwochen __NOTOC__ The Wiener Festwochen (Vienna Festival) is a cultural festival in Vienna that takes place every year for five or six weeks in May and June. The Wiener Festwochen was established in 1951, when Vienna was still occupied by the four Allie ...

, at the

Theater an der Wien The is a historic theatre in Vienna located on the Left Wienzeile in the Mariahilf district. Completed in 1801, the theatre has hosted the premieres of many celebrated works of theatre, opera, and symphonic music. Since 2006, it has served prima ...

and at the Konzerthaus Wien. After a guest performance at the Nuremberg State Opera, where she sang Dorabella in ''

Così fan tutte (''All Women Do It, or The School for Lovers''), K. 588, is an opera buffa in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It was first performed on 26 January 1790 at the Burgtheater in Vienna, Austria. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte w ...

'', she became a permanent ensemble member in Nuremberg. There, she sang the title roles in '' La Cenerentola'' and in '' Hansel and Gretell''. For the role of Mélisande in '' Pelléas et Mélisande'' she was awarded Best Young Singer by the professional journal ''

Opernwelt ''Opernwelt'' (''Opera World'') is a monthly German magazine for opera, operetta and ballet. It includes news about current performances, portraits of composers and performers, articles about opera houses, performance spaces, and contemporary and ...

''. Pappas made her debut in 2005 at the Wigmore Hall in London with Lieder by

Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid- Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped wit ...

. Further concert appearances with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the

Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra The Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and National Orchestra of Catalonia ( ca, Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya, OBC; ) is a symphony orchestra based in Barcelona, Spain. Since April 1999, the Orchestra has had its headquart ...

, the

Gewandhausorchester The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra (Gewandhausorchester; also previously known in German as the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig) is a German symphony orchestra based in Leipzig, Germany. The orchestra is named after the concert hall in which it is bas ...

and the MDR-Rundfunkchor followed. In 2008 she was appointed Kammersängerin by the Bavarian State Government. Since the 2011/12 season, Pappas has been a member of the ensemble of the

Salzburger Landestheater The Salzburg State Theatre (''Salzburger Landestheater'') is a theatre situated in Salzburg, Austria, a venue for opera, theatre, and dance, contemporary and older works, with resident companies of actors, singers and dancers. The theatre presents ...

. In 2016, Pappas made her debut at the

Salzburg Festival The Salzburg Festival (german: Salzburger Festspiele) is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer (for five weeks starting in late July) in the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amad ...

in 2015 and in 2016 in the world

premiere A première, also spelled premiere, is the debut (first public presentation) of a play, film, dance, or musical composition. A work will often have many premières: a world première (the first time it is shown anywhere in the world), its first ...

of the opera '' The Exterminating Angel'' by British composer Thomas Adès. Pappas is married to the actor . The couple has two children.''Im echten Leben eine Familie''
MeinBezirk.at, retrieved 11 August 2020

References

External links

France Pappas on Operabase

Frances Pappas' website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pappas, Frances 1964 births Living people Canadian operatic sopranos Canadian mezzo-sopranos Greek operatic sopranos Greek mezzo-sopranos Singers from Toronto