Joyce DiDonato (née Flaherty; born February 13, 1969) is an American lyric-coloratura

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 middl ...

. She is notable for her interpretations of operas and concert works in the 19th-century

romantic era Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...

in addition to works by

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his training i ...

and

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

. She has performed with many of the world's leading opera companies and orchestras, and won multiple awards including the 2012, 2016 and 2020

Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Solo The Grammy Award – Best Classical Vocal Solo has been awarded since 1959. There have been several minor changes to the name of the award over this time: *From 1959 to 1960 and from 1962 to 1964 the award was known as Best Classical Performanc ...

Early life and education

Joyce Flaherty was born in Prairie Village, Kansas in 1969, the sixth of seven children in an Irish-American family. Her father, Donald, was a self-employed architect who designed houses in the area. One of her sisters, Amy Hetherington, was a music teacher at St. Ann Catholic School, which Joyce and her siblings attended. She later went to

Bishop Miege High School Bishop Miege High School is a Catholic high school, located in Roeland Park, Kansas, United States. The school colors are royal blue and scarlet red and the school mascot is the Stag. The school is a member of the Kansas State High School Activi ...

where she sang in musicals. She entered

Wichita State University Wichita State University (WSU) is a public research university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in ...

(WSU) in 1988 to study vocal music education, because she was initially more interested in teaching high school vocal music and

musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

. She became interested in opera after seeing a PBS telecast of ''

Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; Köchel catalogue, K. 527; Vienna (1788) title: , literally ''The rake (stock character), Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Pon ...

'', and then, in her junior year, when she was cast in a school production of '' Die Fledermaus''. After graduating from WSU in spring 1992, DiDonato decided to pursue graduate studies in vocal performance at the Academy of Vocal Arts. Following her studies in Philadelphia, she was accepted in the

Santa Fe Opera Santa Fe Opera (SFO) is an American opera company, located north of Santa Fe, New Mexico. After creating the ''Opera Association of New Mexico'' in 1956, its founding director, John Crosby, oversaw the building of the first opera house on a newl ...

's Apprentice Singer program for the summer 1995 festival season, where she appeared in several minor roles and understudied for larger parts in such operas as Mozart's ''

The Marriage of Figaro ''The Marriage of Figaro'' ( it, Le nozze di Figaro, links=no, ), K. 492, is a ''commedia per musica'' (opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premi ...

'',

Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras, he has been described as a successor of Richard Wag ...

' ''

Salome Salome (; he, שְלוֹמִית, Shlomit, related to , "peace"; el, Σαλώμη), also known as Salome III, was a Jewish princess, the daughter of Herod II, son of Herod the Great, and princess Herodias, granddaughter of Herod the Great, a ...

'', Kálmán's '' Gräfin Mariza'' and the 1994 world premiere of David Lang's ''Modern Painters''. She was honored as one of several Outstanding Apprentice Artists by the Santa Fe Opera that year. She became a part of

Houston Grand Opera Houston Grand Opera (HGO) is an American opera company located in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1955 by German-born impresario Walter Herbert and three local Houstonians,Giesberg, Robert I., Carl Cunningham, and Alan Rich. ''Houston Grand Opera at ...

's young artist program in 1996; she sang there from autumn 1996 until spring 1998. During the summer of 1997, DiDonato participated in

San Francisco Opera San Francisco Opera (SFO) is an American opera company founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola (1881–1953) based in San Francisco, California. History Gaetano Merola (1923–1953) Merola's road to prominence in the Bay Area began in 1906 when h ...

's Merola Opera Program. During her apprentice years, DiDonato competed in several vocal competitions. In 1996 she won second prize in the Eleanor McCollum Competition and was a district winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. In 1997 she won a

William Matheus Sullivan Award The Sullivan Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding, developing, and furthering the careers of promising opera singers within the United States. Founded through the bequest of a prominent lawyer, William Matheus Sullivan ( ...

, while in 1998 she won second prize in the Operalia Competition, first place in the Stewart Awards, won the George London Competition, and received a Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshana Foundation.Joyce DiDonato: mezzo-soprano (profile)
on fanfaire.com; retrieved November 17, 2013. In a 2016 interview with English mezzo-soprano Janet Baker, DiDonato discussed that from age 26 to 29 (circa 1995–1998), she radically changed her vocal technique. "When a lot of my friends were getting covers at The Met and leading roles at

he New York He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...

City Opera,… it wasn't coming together for me. And I stopped and I said, 'OK, let's revamp.' .... And I was really bad for about a year and a half, because my teacher was taking away all the mechanism that I was using to sing. And it was the best thing that could have happened."

Career

1998–2008

DiDonato began her professional career in the 1998/1999 season singing with several regional opera companies in the United States. She most notably appeared as the main heroine, Maslova, in the world premiere of Tod Machover's ''Resurrection'' with

. She gave a recital in San Francisco that year as part of the Schwabacher recital series. Also at Houston Grand Opera, she performed the role of Meg in the world premiere during the 1999/2000 season of Mark Adamo's ''

Little Women ''Little Women'' is a coming-of-age novel written by American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888). Alcott wrote the book, originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869, at the request of her publisher. The story follows the live ...

'' with

Stephanie Novacek Stephanie Novacek (b. Iowa City, Iowa, 31 August 1970) is an American operatic mezzo-soprano who has appeared at many of the world's opera houses. A regular performer at the Houston Grand Opera and Opera Atelier, Novacek is especially known for her ...

as Jo and Chad Shelton as Laurie. That season, she also sang the role of Cherubino in ''

'' with the

and the role of Isabella in ''

L'italiana in Algeri ''L'italiana in Algeri'' (; ''The Italian Girl in Algiers'') is an operatic ''dramma giocoso'' in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Angelo Anelli, based on his earlier text set by Luigi Mosca. It premiered at the Teatro San ...

'' with the New Israeli Opera. She gave a recital at New York's Morgan Library under the auspices of the George London Foundation and featured as a soloist in the

Seattle Symphony The Seattle Symphony is an American orchestra based in Seattle, Washington. Since 1998, the orchestra is resident at Benaroya Hall. The orchestra also serves as the accompanying orchestra for the Seattle Opera. History Beginnings The orchestr ...

production of Handel's ''

Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...

''."Joyce DiDonato (Mezzo-soprano)"
bach-cantatas.com; retrieved November 17, 2013. DiDonato made her debut at

La Scala La Scala (, , ; abbreviation in Italian of the official name ) is a famous opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the ' (New Royal-Ducal Theatre alla Scala). The premiere performan ...

as Angelina in Rossini's ''

La Cenerentola ' ('' Cinderella, or Goodness Triumphant'') is an operatic ''dramma giocoso'' in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. The libretto was written by Jacopo Ferretti, based on the libretti written by Charles-Guillaume Étienne for the opera ''Cendrillon'' ...

'' in the 2000/01 season, returned to Houston Grand Opera as 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 ...

'', and sang the mezzo-soprano solos in Bach ''

Mass in B minor The Mass in B minor (), BWV 232, is an extended setting of the Mass ordinary by Johann Sebastian Bach. The composition was completed in 1749, the year before the composer's death, and was to a large extent based on earlier work, such as a Sanc ...

'' with the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris and conductor John Nelson. The 2001/2002 season included debuts with

Washington National Opera The Washington National Opera (WNO) is an American opera company in Washington, D.C. Formerly the Opera Society of Washington and the Washington Opera, the company received Congressional designation as the National Opera Company in 2000. Perform ...

as Dorabella in ''Così fan tutte'', with De Nederlandse Opera as Sesto in Handel's ''

Giulio Cesare ''Giulio Cesare in Egitto'' (; , HWV 17), commonly known as ''Giulio Cesare'', is a dramma per musica (''opera seria'') in three acts composed by George Frideric Handel for the Royal Academy of Music in 1724. The libretto was written by Nic ...

'', with Opéra National de Paris as Rosina in ''

The Barber of Seville ''The Barber of Seville, or The Useless Precaution'' ( it, Il barbiere di Siviglia, ossia L'inutile precauzione ) is an '' opera buffa'' in two acts composed by Gioachino Rossini with an Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was ba ...

'', and with

Bavarian State Opera The Bayerische Staatsoper is a German opera company based in Munich. Its main venue is the Nationaltheater München, and its orchestra the Bayerische Staatsorchester. History The parent ensemble of the company was founded in 1653, under Ele ...

as Cherubino in under the baton of

Zubin Mehta Zubin Mehta (born 29 April 1936) is an Indian conductor of Western classical music. He is music director emeritus of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) and conductor emeritus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Mehta's father was the fou ...

. Also, she returned to the Santa Fe Opera to perform the role of Annio in '' La clemenza di Tito'' and made several concert appearances, including those with

Riccardo Muti Riccardo Muti, (; born 28 July 1941) is an Italian conductor. He currently holds two music directorships, at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and at the Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini. Muti has previously held posts at the Maggio Musicale ...

conducting the Orchestra of

in Vivaldi's ''Gloria'' and the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris's presentation of Mendelssohn's ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict a ...

''. The 2002/03 season saw debuts with the

New York City Opera The New York City Opera (NYCO) is an American opera company located in Manhattan in New York City. The company has been active from 1943 through 2013 (when it filed for bankruptcy), and again since 2016 when it was revived. The opera company, du ...

as Sister Helen in

Jake Heggie Jake Heggie (born March 31, 1961) is an American composer of opera, vocal, orchestral, and chamber music. He is best known for his operas and art songs as well as for his collaborations with internationally renowned performers and writers. ...

's '' Dead Man Walking'', at the

Théâtre du Châtelet The Théâtre du Châtelet () is a theatre and opera house, located in the place du Châtelet in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. One of two theatres (the other being the Théâtre de la Ville) built on the site of a ''châtelet'', a ...

in the title role of ''La Cenerentola'', at the

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal ...

as Zlatohřbítek the fox in Janáček's ''

The Cunning Little Vixen ''The Cunning Little Vixen'' (original title ''Příhody lišky Bystroušky'' or ''Tales of Vixen Sharp-Ears'' in English), is a three-act Czech-language opera by Leoš Janáček completed in 1923 to a libretto the composer himself adapted from a ...

'' under Sir John Eliot Gardiner, and with the New National Theatre Tokyo as Rosina in ''The Barber of Seville''. It also saw performances of the title role in Rossini's ''

Adina ADINA is a commercial engineering simulation software program that is developed and distributed worldwide by ADINA R & D, Inc. The company was founded in 1986 by Dr. Klaus-Jürgen Bathe, and is headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, United S ...

'' at the

Rossini Opera Festival The Rossini Opera Festival (ROF) is an international music festival held in August of each year in Pesaro, Italy, the birthplace of the opera composer Gioachino Rossini. Its aim, in addition to studying the musical heritage of the composer, is to re ...

and Cherubino at

Opéra Bastille The Opéra Bastille (, "Bastille Opera House") is a modern opera house in the 12th arrondissement of Paris, France. Inaugurated in 1989 as part of President François Mitterrand's '' Grands Travaux'', it became the main facility of the Paris Nat ...

. In concert, she performed Mozart's ''

Requiem A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead ( la, Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead ( la, Missa defunctorum), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, ...

'' with the

, Berlioz's ''

Les nuits d'été ''Les nuits d'été'' (''Summer Nights''), Op. 7, is a song cycle by the French composer Hector Berlioz. It is a setting of six poems by Théophile Gautier. The cycle, completed in 1841, was originally for soloist and piano accompaniment. Berlio ...

'' with the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, and made her

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th and 57th Streets. Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill and built ...

debut in a production of Bach's ''Mass in B Minor'' with the Orchestra of St. Luke's under the baton of

Peter Schreier Peter Schreier (29 July 1935 – 25 December 2019) was a German tenor in opera, concert and lied, and a conductor. He was regarded as one of the leading lyric tenors of the 20th century. Schreier was a member of the Dresdner Kreuzchor conducte ...

. She toured Europe with

Marc Minkowski Marc Minkowski (born 4 October 1962) is a French conductor of classical music, especially known for his interpretations of French Baroque works, and is the current general director of Opéra national de Bordeaux. His mother, Mary Anne (Wade), i ...

and

Les Musiciens du Louvre Les Musiciens du Louvre (literally ''The Musicians of the Louvre'') is a French period instrument ensemble, formed in 1982. Originally based in Paris, since 1996 it has been based in the Couvent des Minimes in Grenoble. ''The Guardian'' considers ...

in performances of ''

''."About the Performer – Joyce DiDonato"
on the Los Angeles Philharmonic website; retrieved November 17, 2013 In the 2003/2004 season DiDonato made her debut at

as Rosina and then reprised the role at Houston Grand Opera. She performed Idamante in Mozart's ''

Idomeneo ' (Italian for '' Idomeneus, King of Crete, or, Ilia and Idamante''; usually referred to simply as ''Idomeneo'', K. 366) is an Italian language opera seria by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The libretto was adapted by Giambattista Varesco from a Frenc ...

'' with De Nederlandse Opera and at the

Aix-en-Provence Festival The Festival d'Aix-en-Provence is an annual international music festival which takes place each summer in Aix-en-Provence, principally in July. Devoted mainly to opera, it also includes concerts of orchestral, chamber, vocal and solo instrumental ...

, and also sang the role of Ascanio in a concert performance of Berlioz's ''

Benvenuto Cellini Benvenuto Cellini (, ; 3 November 150013 February 1571) was an Italian goldsmith, sculptor, and author. His best-known extant works include the ''Cellini Salt Cellar'', the sculpture of ''Perseus with the Head of Medusa'', and his autobiograph ...

'' with the

Orchestre National de France The Orchestre national de France (ONF; literal translation, ''National Orchestra of France'') is a French symphony orchestra based in Paris, founded in 1934. Placed under the administration of the French national radio (named Radio France sinc ...

. She made solo recital appearances at the

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 milli ...

in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington, Kansas City's Folly Theater, and

Wigmore Hall Wigmore Hall is a concert hall located at 36 Wigmore Street, London. Originally called Bechstein Hall, it specialises in performances of chamber music, early music, vocal music and song recitals. It is widely regarded as one of the world's leadi ...

in London, among others. She sang at the

Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in America by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018. The Hollywood Bowl is known for its distin ...

in a production of Beethoven's '' Symphony No. 9'' with the

Los Angeles Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic, commonly referred to as the LA Phil, is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at th ...

. She gave her first performances in Donizetti's ''

Maria Stuarda ''Maria Stuarda'' (Mary Stuart) is a tragic opera (''tragedia lirica''), in two acts, by Gaetano Donizetti, to a libretto by Giuseppe Bardari, based on Andrea Maffei's translation of Friedrich Schiller's 1800 play '' Maria Stuart''. The ope ...

'' as the role of Elisabetta at the

Grand Théâtre de Genève Grand Théâtre de Genève is an opera house in Geneva, Switzerland. As with many other opera houses, the Grand Théâtre de Genève is both a venue and an institution. The venue is a majestic building, towering over Place Neuve, official ...

during the 2004/2005 season. Also, she returned to La Scala as Angelina in Rossini's ''La Cenerentola'' and once again played Rosina in a new production of ''The Barber of Seville'' by Luca Ronconi at the Pesaro Festival and the

Teatro Comunale di Bologna The Teatro Comunale di Bologna is an opera house in Bologna, Italy. Typically, it presents eight operas with six performances during its November to April season. While there had been various theatres presenting opera in Bologna since the early ...

. During the 2005/06 season, she made her

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is opera ...

debut as Cherubino in ''The Marriage of Figaro'' and also played Stéphano in Gounod's '' Roméo et Juliette'' there. She returned to the

as Rosina in ''The Barber of Seville'', sang her first Sesto in Mozart's ''La clemenza di Tito'' at Grand Théâtre de Genève, and sang the role of Dejanira in Handel's ''

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the ...

'' at the

Brooklyn Academy of Music The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a performing arts venue in Brooklyn, New York City, known as a center for progressive and avant-garde performance. It presented its first performance in 1861 and began operations in its present location in ...

in New York and the

Barbican Centre The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London and the largest of its kind in Europe. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhib ...

with William Christie. She appeared in several concerts with the

New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic, officially the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc., globally known as New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) or New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra based in New York City. It is ...

and gave a recital at Wigmore Hall. She closed the

's 50th anniversary season in the title role of Massenet's ''

Cendrillon ''Cendrillon'' (''Cinderella'') is an opera—described as a "fairy tale"—in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Caïn based on Perrault's 1698 version of the Cinderella fairy tale. It had its premiere performance on 24 ...

''. DiDonato debuted at the

Teatro Real The Teatro Real (Royal Theatre) is an opera house in Madrid, Spain. Located at the Plaza de Oriente, opposite the Royal Palace, and known colloquially as ''El Real'', it is considered the top institution of the performing and musical arts in the ...

as the composer in '' Ariadne auf Naxos'' in the 2006/07 season, and returned to the Paris Opera as Idamante in Mozart's ''

'' and to

as Angelina in ''La Cenerentola''. She sang Rosina in ''The Barber of Seville'' at the Metropolitan Opera and sang her first Octavian in ''

Der Rosenkavalier (''The Knight of the Rose'' or ''The Rose-Bearer''), Op. 59, is a comic opera in three acts by Richard Strauss to an original German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. It is loosely adapted from the novel ''Les amours du chevalier de Faublas'' ...

'' with the San Francisco Opera in addition to an extensive recital tour through the United States and Europe accompanied by

Julius Drake The gens Julia (''gēns Iūlia'', ) was one of the most prominent patrician families in ancient Rome. Members of the gens attained the highest dignities of the state in the earliest times of the Republic. The first of the family to obtain the ...

.San Francisco Opera archives
sfopera.com; accessed February 16, 2018. Her 2007/08 season appearances included her debut at the

Liceu The Gran Teatre del Liceu (, English: Great Theatre of the Lyceum), known as ''El Liceu'', is an opera house in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Located in La Rambla, it is the oldest running theatre in Barcelona. Founded in 1837 at another ...

as Angelina in ''La Cenerentola'' and at the

Lyric Opera of Chicago Lyric Opera of Chicago is one of the leading opera companies in the United States. It was founded in Chicago in 1954, under the name 'Lyric Theatre of Chicago' by Carol Fox, Nicola Rescigno and Lawrence Kelly, with a season that included Maria ...

as Rosina. She sang the title role in Handel's ''

Alcina ''Alcina'' (Händel-Werke-Verzeichnis, HWV 34) is a 1735 opera seria by George Frideric Handel. Handel used the libretto of ''L'isola di Alcina'', an opera that was set in 1728 in Rome by Riccardo Broschi, which he acquired the year after during ...

'' with Alan Curtis and Il Complesso Barocco and the title role in Handel's '' Ariodante'' at the

. She also sang Roméo in Bellini's '' I Capuleti e i Montecchi'' at the

and returned to Teatro Real as Idamante in ''Idomeneo'' in July 2008. She gave recitals at

, and the

, and performed a special concert of Handel arias which was recorded in Brussels.

2009–present

In the 2008/2009 season, DiDonato returned to

as Donna Elvira in ''

''. In a performance as Rosina at the same house on July 7, she slipped onstage and broke her right

fibula The fibula or calf bone is a leg bone on the lateral side of the tibia, to which it is connected above and below. It is the smaller of the two bones and, in proportion to its length, the most slender of all the long bones. Its upper extremity ...

, hopping in the first act and spend the rest on crutches. She then carried out the five remaining performances in a wheelchair. She performed the roles of Beatrice in Berlioz's ''

Béatrice et Bénédict ''Béatrice et Bénédict'' (''Beatrice and Benedick'') is an ''opéra comique'' in two acts by French composer Hector Berlioz. Berlioz wrote the French libretto himself, based in general outline on a subplot in Shakespeare's ''Much Ado About Noth ...

'' at

, Idamante in Mozart's ''

'' with Opéra National de Paris, and Rosina in her debut at

Vienna State Opera The Vienna State Opera (, ) is an opera house and opera company based in Vienna, Austria. The 1,709-seat Renaissance Revival venue was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road. It was built from 1861 to 1869 following plans by August ...

. She also appeared in concerts with the New York Philharmonic,

Kansas City Symphony The Kansas City Symphony (KCS) is a United States symphony orchestra based in Kansas City, Missouri. The current music director is conductor Michael Stern. The Symphony performs at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, located at 1601 Bro ...

, and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the latter of which under the baton of James Levine. She toured Europe and the United States with Les Talens Lyriques, giving concerts of Handel arias, including performances at

and the

. She sang the role of Isolier in Rossini's '' Le comte Ory'' at the Metropolitan Opera in April 2011. In April 2012, she sang the title role in Donizetti's ''

'' at the

, repeating the role in the work's premiere performances at the Metropolitan Opera in January 2013. In the spring of 2013, she starred in a new production of '' La donna del lago'' at the

. A new production was mounted by the

during its 2013 festival season, also starring DiDonato with Lawrence Brownlee as Uberto. For the first time in its 57-year history, the Santa Fe Opera added an extra performance of ''La donna del lago'' due to unprecedented ticket demand. On September 7, 2013 she performed at the Last Night of the Proms, singing arias by Massenet (" Je suis gris! je suis ivre!"), Handel (" Ombra mai fu"), and Rossini (" Tanti affetti in tal momento!") as well as " You'll Never Walk Alone" from the musical ''

Carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in SA) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular pl ...

'', " Over the Rainbow" from the '' Wizard of Oz'' as a bow to her home State of Kansas, and "

Danny Boy "Danny Boy" is a ballad, written by English songwriter Frederic Weatherly in 1913, and set to the traditional Irish melody of " Londonderry Air". History In 1910, in Bath, Somerset, the English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly initial ...

"; she then led the audience into the traditional "

Rule, Britannia! "Rule, Britannia!" is a British patriotic song, originating from the 1740 poem "Rule, Britannia" by James Thomson and set to music by Thomas Arne in the same year. It is most strongly associated with the Royal Navy, but is also used by the ...

". On September 21, 2013, she sang the role of Romeo as the

Lyric Opera of Kansas City Lyric Opera of Kansas City is an American opera company located in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1958 by conductor Russell Patterson, the company presents an annual season of four operas at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Product ...

opened its season with Bellini's '' I Capuleti e i Montecchi''. In January 2014, DiDonato was named a "Perspectives" artist for the duration of Carnegie Hall's 2014/2015 season. During that time her performance collaborators include

The English Concert The English Concert is a baroque orchestra playing on period instruments based in London. Founded in 1972 and directed from the harpsichord by Trevor Pinnock for 30 years, it is now directed by harpsichordist Harry Bicket. Nadja Zwiener ha ...

conducted by

Harry Bicket Harry Alexander Clarence Bicket (born 1961) is a British conductor, harpsichordist and organist. He is particularly associated with the baroque and classical repertoire. Bicket was educated at Radley College, Christ Church, Oxford, where he ...

, her accompanist David Zobel, the Brentano String Quartet, and the

Philadelphia Orchestra The Philadelphia Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One of the " Big Five" American orchestras, the orchestra is based at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where it performs its subscriptio ...

conducted by Maurizio Benini. She performed in Rossini's ''

'', as the title role at the Metropolitan Opera in April and May. In early September 2014, she opened the

's 2014/15 season with two concerts and with

Antonio Pappano Sir Antonio Pappano (born 30 December 1959) is an English-Italian conductor and pianist. He is currently music director of the Royal Opera House and of the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. He is scheduled to become chief c ...

at the piano. The programme included works by

Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have led ...

Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards ...

, Santoliquido and songs from the

Great American Songbook The Great American Songbook is the loosely defined canon of significant early-20th-century American jazz standards, popular songs, and show tunes. Definition According to the Great American Songbook Foundation: The "Great American Songbook" i ...

. A live recording was released in 2015 as ''Joyce and Tony: Live at Wigmore Hall'', which won Best Classical Vocal Solo Album in the 2016 Grammy Award. In late September 2014, DiDonato opened the

's 2014/15 classical season with a concert entitled "Stella di Napoli" with the Orchestre et Choeur de l'

Opéra de Lyon This is a glossary list of opera genres, giving alternative names. "Opera" is an Italian word (short for "opera in musica"); it was not at first ''commonly'' used in Italy (or in other countries) to refer to the genre of particular works. Most c ...

conducted by

Riccardo Minasi Riccardo Minasi (born 1978) is an Italian violinist and conductor in the field of historically informed performance. Life Born in Rome, Minasi received his first music lessons from his mother, studying modern violin with Paolo Centurioni and Al ...

. This was the first concert of five events for Joyce DiDonato in the

Barbican A barbican (from fro, barbacane) is a fortified outpost or fortified gateway, such as at an outer defense perimeter of a city or castle, or any tower situated over a gate or bridge which was used for defensive purposes. Europe In the Middle A ...

's Artist Spotlight series. The remaining four events were three concerts: *

's ''

'' with the

English Concert The English Concert is a baroque orchestra playing on period instruments based in London. Founded in 1972 and directed from the harpsichord by Trevor Pinnock for 30 years, it is now directed by harpsichordist Harry Bicket. Nadja Zwiener has be ...

conducted by

Camille Claudel Camille Rosalie Claudel (; 8 December 1864 19 October 1943) was a French sculptor known for her figurative works in bronze and marble. She died in relative obscurity, but later gained recognition for the originality and quality of her work. The ...

: Into the Fire, a song cycle written for her by

, with the Brentano String Quartet * a concert with the

conducted by Alan Gilbert and a masterclass at the

Guildhall School of Music and Drama The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a conservatoire and drama school located in the City of London, United Kingdom. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz ...

. In 2015, she began giving masterclasses annually at

, more specifically, at the Weill Music Institute. This is a three-day program where several aspiring singers (usually college students) study with her personally over three days, to receive important feedback regarding their performance and vocal abilities. In November 2016, she released an album entitled ''In War & Peace: Harmony through Music'', a project conceived in response to the

November 2015 Paris attacks The November 2015 Paris attacks () were a series of coordinated Islamist terrorist attacks that took place on Friday, 13 November 2015 in Paris, France, and the city's northern suburb, Saint-Denis. Beginning at 9:15p.m., three suicide bombers ...

. She collaborated with

Maxim Emelyanychev Maxim Yuryevich Emelyanychev (Максим Юрьевич Емельянычев; born 28 August 1988, Dzerzhinsk) is a Russian conductor, pianist, harpsichordist and cornetist. From a musical family, Emelyanychev studied music at the Nizhny Novgor ...

and Il Pomo d'Oro in a series of concert recitals imbued with choreography and theatrical effects. They subsequently toured the program through Europe and the United States. The project, which lasted for three years, also toured to Russia, Asia, and South America; the 4 June 2017 performance at the

was filmed and later released on DVD. The last performances in November 2019 staged at the Kennedy Center, Washington D.C. was followed by a conversation with

Donna Leon Donna Leon (; born in Montclair, New Jersey) is the American author of a series of crime novels set in Venice, Italy, featuring the fictional hero Commissario Guido Brunetti. In 2003, she received the Corine Literature Prize. Leon lived in Veni ...

and Justice

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Joan Ruth Bader Ginsburg ( ; ; March 15, 1933September 18, 2020) was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death in 2020. She was nominated by Presiden ...

. On December 31, 2017, she was featured in a ''New Year's Eve Concert'' at the

Berlin Philharmonic The Berlin Philharmonic (german: Berliner Philharmoniker, links=no, italic=no) is a German orchestra based in Berlin. It is one of the most popular, acclaimed and well-respected orchestras in the world. History The Berlin Philharmonic was fo ...

. In 2019, she released her album ''Songplay'', which mixes jazz, Latin, and tango rhythms into arrangements of Italian Baroque arias, jazz standards, and picks from the Great American Songbook. After a well-acclaimed album release, she then went on to do a national tour, after the album was released between February 18 and March 10, 2019. This album received a 2020 Grammy Award - DiDonato's third. DiDonato acted and sang in the Metropolitan Opera's production of Handel's ''

Agrippina Agrippina is an ancient Roman cognomen and a feminine given name. People with either the cognomen or the given name include: Cognomen Relatives of the Roman general Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa: * Vipsania Agrippina (36 BC–20 AD), first wife of the ...

'' in 2020, in the title role of Agrippina. She portrayed

Virginia Woolf Adeline Virginia Woolf (; ; 25 January 1882 28 March 1941) was an English writer, considered one of the most important modernist 20th-century authors and a pioneer in the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative device. Woolf was born ...

in the Metropolitan Opera's world stage premiere of Kevin Puts's opera '' The Hours'' in November 2022.

Personal life

Joyce Flaherty married Alex DiDonato, from whom she gained her surname, at 21. They divorced after being together for 14 years. She met Italian conductor Leonardo Vordoni at the

in 2003 and fell in

love at first sight Love at first sight is a personal experience as well as a common trope in literature: a person or character feels an instant, extreme, and ultimately long-lasting romantic attraction for a stranger upon first seeing that stranger. Described by p ...

. They married in August 2006 at Las Vegas' Venetian Hotel in a

gondola The gondola (, ; vec, góndoła ) is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian lagoon. It is typically propelled by a gondolier, who uses a rowing oar, which is not fastened to the hull, ...

during performances of ''Cendrillon'' at the

and shared a home in

Kansas City, Kansas Kansas City, abbreviated as "KCK", is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas, and the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is an inner suburb of the older and more populous Kansas City, Missouri, after which it is named. As of ...

. Their marriage ended in 2013.

Awards and honors

* 2000: ARIA (Awards Recognizing Individual Artistry) award, which was given annually to American "vocal artists of exceptional ability and undeniable promise" * 2002: Richard Tucker Award * 2003:

's Richard Gold Debut Award * 2006: Singer Award, part of the annual

Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards The Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards are given annually for live classical music-making in the United Kingdom. The awards were first held in 1989 and are independent of any commercial interest. Since 2003, BBC Radio 3 has been the media ...

. * 2007: Metropolitan Opera's

Beverly Sills Beverly Sills (May 25, 1929July 2, 2007) was an American operatic soprano whose peak career was between the 1950s and 1970s. Although she sang a repertoire from Handel and Mozart to Puccini, Massenet and Verdi, she was especially renowned f ...

Award * 2010: ECHO Klassik Award for Singer of the Year * 2010:

Gramophone Award The Gramophone Classical Music Awards, launched in 1977, are one of the most significant honours bestowed on recordings in the classical record industry. They are often viewed as equivalent to or surpassing the American Grammy award, and refe ...

for Recital of the Year for ''Rossini: Colbran, the Muse'' * 2010: Gramophone Award for Artist of the Year * 2012: ''

Gramophone A phonograph, in its later forms also called a gramophone (as a trademark since 1887, as a generic name in the UK since 1910) or since the 1940s called a record player, or more recently a turntable, is a device for the mechanical and analogu ...

''s Hall of Fame * 2012:

54th Annual Grammy Awards The 54th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 12, 2012, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles being broadcast on CBS honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011. LL Cool J hosted t ...

for her solo recording ''Diva Divo'' * 2013: ECHO Klassik Award for Female Singer of the Year * 2013 ''

Musical America ''Musical America'' is the oldest American magazine on classical music, first appearing in 1898 in print and in 1999 online, at musicalamerica.com. It is published by Performing Arts Resources, LLC, of East Windsor, New Jersey. History 1898–19 ...

'' Musician of the Year Award * 2014 Honorary Doctorate from the

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a Private university, private performing arts music school, conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely ...

* 2014 Honorary Membership of the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the first Duke ...

* 2014 Mu Phi Epsilon Award of Merit * 2015 International Classical Music Awards Winner for Vocal Recital * 2015 The magazine ''

Limelight Limelight (also known as Drummond light or calcium light)James R. Smith (2004). ''San Francisco's Lost Landmarks'', Quill Driver Books. is a type of stage lighting once used in theatres and music halls. An intense illumination is created whe ...

'' for "Opera Recording of the Year" * 2015: ECHO Klassik Award for Female Singer of the Year * 2016:

58th Annual Grammy Awards The 58th Annual Grammy Awards was held on February 15, 2016, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The ceremony recognizes the best recordings, compositions and artists of the eligibility year, which was from October 1, 2014, to September 30, 201 ...

– Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Solo (with accompanist

) for ''Joyce & Tony – Live from Wigmore Hall'' * 2017: ECHO Klassik Award for Female Singer of the Year * 2017:

for Recital of the Year: In War and Peace: Harmony through Music * 2018: Handel Prize * 2018:

Laurence Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known a ...

for outstanding achievement in opera. * 2019:

62nd Annual Grammy Awards The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on January 26, 2020, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from October 1, 2018, to August 31, 2019. Al ...

– Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Performance for ''Songplay''

Film and television appearances

* Meg March in Mark Adamo's ''

'' with conductor Patrick Summers and Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, aired on PBS' ''

Great Performances ''Great Performances'' is a television anthology series dedicated to the performing arts; the banner has been used to televise theatrical performances such as plays, musicals, opera, ballet, concerts, as well as occasional documentaries. It is p ...

'' in 2001 * Rosina in Rossini's ''

'' with conductor Bruno Campanella and Opéra National de Paris, aired on television in 2002, released on DVD 2002 * "Gala Jean-Philippe Rameau" – Concert du 20ème anniversaire des Musiciens du Louvre, aired on television in 2003 * Dejanira in Handel's ''

'' with conductor William Christie, Les Arts Florissants, and

, aired on television in 2005, released on DVD 2005 * Elvira in Mozart's ''

'' with conductor Charles Mackerras at the

, released on DVD in 2008 * Rosina in Rossini's ''The Barber of Seville'' with conductor

at the

, released on DVD in 2010 * Angelina in Rossini's ''

'' with conductor Patrick Summers at the

Gran Teatre del Liceu Gran may refer to: People * Grandmother, affectionately known as "gran" *Gran (name) Places * Gran, the historical German name for Esztergom, a city and the primatial metropolitan see of Hungary * Gran, Norway, a municipality in Innlandet cou ...

, released on DVD in 2010 * Isolier in Rossini's '' Le comte Ory'' with conductor Maurizio Benini at the

, released on DVD in 2012 * Cendrillon in Massenet's ''

'' with conductor Bertrand de Billy at the Royal Opera House, released on DVD in 2012 * ''Homecoming: The

Presents Joyce DiDonato'' with conductor Michael Stern and The

at The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, broadcast July 2012 on PBS, released on DVD and digital download July 2012 * Last Night of the Proms,

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

, London, September 7, 2013, with

Marin Alsop Marin Alsop ( �mɛər.ɪn ˈæːl.sɑːp born October 16, 1956) is an American conductor, the first woman to win the Koussevitzky Prize for conducting and the first conductor to be awarded a MacArthur Fellowship. She is music director laureate ...

conducting * Sang "

The Star-Spangled Banner "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the ...

" before Game 7 of the

2014 World Series The 2014 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2014 season. The 110th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion San Francisco Giants and the Ameri ...

at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri * Mary Stuart in Donizetti's ''

'' with conductor Maurizio Benini at the

, released on Blu-ray in 2014 * Florence Foster Jenkins in ', written and directed by , released in Germany in 2016. * Narrator in documentary '' Maria by Callas'' (2017) * Sang five of

' orchestral songs with the Berliner Philharmoniker,

Simon Rattle Sir Simon Denis Rattle (born 19 January 1955) is a British-German conductor. He rose to international prominence during the 1980s and 1990s, while music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1980–1998). Rattle was principa ...

conducting, for "New Year's Eve Concert Silvesterkonzert 2017", released on Blu-ray in 2018 * Adalgisa in Bellini's ''Norma'' with conductor Carlo Rizzi at the

, Released on Blu-ray in 2018

Roles in operas

* Adalgisa, '' Norma'' ( Bellini) * Adina, ''

'' (

) * Agrippina, ''

'' (

) * Alcina, ''

'' (

) * Angelina (Cenerentola), ''

'' (Rossini) * Annio, '' La clemenza di Tito'' (

) * Arden Scott, '' Great Scott'' (

) @ * Ariodante, '' Ariodante'' (Handel) * Ascanio, ''

'' ( Berlioz) * Beatrice, ''

'' (Berlioz) * Cendrillon, ''

'' ( Massenet) * Charlotte, ''

Werther ''Werther'' is an opera (''drame lyrique'') in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet and Georges Hartmann (who used the pseudonym Henri Grémont). It is loosely based on Goethe's epistolary novel '' Th ...

'' (Massenet) * Cherubino, ''

'' (Mozart) * The Composer, '' Ariadne auf Naxos'' ( R. Strauss) * Dejanira, ''

'' (Handel) * Didon, ''

Les Troyens ''Les Troyens'' (; in English: ''The Trojans'') is a French grand opera in five acts by Hector Berlioz. The libretto was written by Berlioz himself from Virgil's epic poem the ''Aeneid''; the score was composed between 1856 and 1858. ''Les T ...

'' (Berlioz) * Donna Elvira, ''

'' (Mozart) * Dorabella, ''

'' (Mozart) * Elena, '' La donna del lago'' (Rossini) * Elisabetta, ''

'' ( Donizetti) * Elmira, ''

Floridante ''Floridante'' ( HWV 14) is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. The Italian-language libretto was by Paolo Antonio Rolli after Francesco Silvani's libretto for Marc'Antonio Ziani dramma per musica ''La costanza in trionfo'' of 1 ...

'' (Handel) * Grace Kelly, '' Jackie O'' (

Michael Daugherty Michael Kevin Daugherty (born April 28, 1954) is an American composer, pianist, and teacher. He is influenced by popular culture, Romanticism, and Postmodernism. Daugherty's notable works include his Superman comic book-inspired ''Metropolis Sym ...

) @ * Idamante, ''

'' (Mozart) * Isabella, ''

'' (Rossini) * Isolier, '' Le comte Ory'' (Rossini) * Maria, ''

'' ( Donizetti) * Maslova, ''Resurrection'' ( Tod Machover) @ * Meg, ''

( Mark Adamo) @ * Octavian, ''

'' ( R. Strauss) * Romeo, '' I Capuleti e i Montecchi'' (Bellini) * Rosina, ''

'' (Rossini) * Semiramide, ''

Semiramide ''Semiramide'' () is an opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. The libretto by Gaetano Rossi is based on Voltaire's tragedy ''Semiramis'', which in turn was based on the legend of Semiramis of Assyria. The opera was first performed at La Fe ...

'' (Rossini) * Sesto, '' La clemenza di Tito'' (Mozart) * Sesto Pompeo, ''

'' (Handel) * Sister Helen, '' Dead Man Walking'' (Jake Heggie) *

Sycorax Sycorax is an unseen character in William Shakespeare's play '' The Tempest'' (1611). She is a vicious and powerful witch and the mother of Caliban, one of the few native inhabitants of the island on which Prospero, the hero of the play, is ...

, '' The Enchanted Island @ * Stéphano, '' Roméo et Juliette'' ( Gounod) * Virginia Woolf, '' The Hours'' ( Kevin Puts) @ * Zlatohřbítek the fox, ''

'' ( Janáček) @ Indicates a world premiere

Recordings

Complete operas

* Daugherty – '' Jackie O'' as Grace Kelly (1997); with Christopher Larkin conducting

Orchestra, Argo Records * Tod Machover – ''

Resurrection Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. In a number of religions, a dying-and-rising god is a deity which dies and is resurrected. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions, whic ...

'' as Maslova (1999); with

Patrick Summers Patrick Summers (born August 14, 1963) is an American conductor best known for his work with Houston Grand Opera (HGO), where he has been the artistic and music director since 2011, and with San Francisco Opera, where he served as principal gues ...

conducting Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Albany Records * Mark Adamo – ''

'' as Meg March (2001) with Patrick Summers conducting Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Ondine * Rossini – ''

'' as Angelina (Cenerentola) (2005); with

Alberto Zedda Alberto Zedda (2 January 19286 March 2017) was an Italian conductor and musicologist whose specialty was the 19th-century Italian repertoire. Alberto Zedda was born in Milan, Italy, where he accomplished his education in music and humanities, co ...

conducting SWR Orchestra Kaiserslautern,

Naxos Records Naxos comprises numerous companies, divisions, imprints, and labels specializing in classical music but also audiobooks and other genres. The premier label is Naxos Records which focuses on classical music. Naxos Musical Group encompasses about 1 ...

* Berlioz – ''

'' as Ascanio (2005); with John Nelson conducting

Virgin Classics Virgin Classics was a record label founded in 1988 as part of Richard Branson's Virgin Records. The unit, along with EMI Classics, was acquired by Universal Music in 2012 as part of the takeover of the EMI Group, however the terms of the Europea ...

* Handel – '' Radamisto'' as Radamisto (2005); with Alan Curtis leading Il Complesso Barocco, Virgin Classics * Handel – ''

'' as Elmira (2007); with Alan Curtis leading Il Complesso Barocco, Deutsche Grammophon Archiv Produktion * Handel – ''

'' as Alcina (2009); with Alan Curtis leading Il Complesso Barocco, Deutsche Grammophon Archiv Produktion * Vivaldi – ''

Ercole su'l Termodonte ''Ercole su'l Termodonte'' (; ''Hercules in Thermodon'') is a baroque Italian opera in three acts. In 1723, it became the sixteenth opera set to music by Antonio Vivaldi. Its catalogue number is RV 710. The libretto was written by Antonio Salv ...

'' as Ippolita (2010); with Fabio Biondi leading

Europa Galante Europa Galante is an Italian period-instrument Baroque orchestra founded by violinist Fabio Biondi in 1990 and directed by him. The ensemble has been invited to play at festivals and in concert halls such as La Scala in Milan, the Accademia di Sa ...

, Virgin Classics * Handel – '' Ariodante'' as Ariodante (2011); with Alan Curtis leading Il Complesso Barocco, Virgin Classics * Mozart – ''

'' as Donna Elvira (2012); with Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Deutsche Grammophon *

– '' Dead Man Walking'' as Sister Helen Prejean (2012); with Patrick Summers conducting Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, Virgin Classics * Berlioz – ''

'' as Didon (2017); with John Nelson conducting Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg,

Erato Records Erato Records is a record label founded in 1953 as Disques Erato by Philippe Loury to promote French classical music. Loury was head of éditions musicales Costallat. His first releases in France were licensed from the Haydn Society of Boston, a ...

Warner Classics Warner Classics is the classical music arm of Warner Music Group. The label began issuing new recordings under the Warner Classics banner in 1991. The company also includes the Erato Records, Teldec Records and NVC Arts labels. Based in France, ...

* Berlioz – ''

La Damnation de Faust ''La damnation de Faust'' (English: ''The Damnation of Faust''), Op. 24 is a work for four solo voices, full seven-part chorus, large children's chorus and orchestra by the French composer Hector Berlioz. He called it a "''légende dramatique'' ...

''as Marguerite (2019); Les Petits Chanteurs de Strasbourg, Maîtrise de l'Opéra national du Rhin, Orchestre philarmonique de Strasbourg, conducted by John Nelson, Errato Records/Warner Classics. Diapason d'or. * Handel – ''

'' as Agrippina (2020); with

leading Il Pomo d'Oro, Erato Records/Warner Classics

Concerts

* ''

Antonio Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespread ...

: The Complete Sacred Music'' (2005); with Robert King conducting The King's Consort,

Hyperion Records Hyperion Records is an independent British classical record label. History Hyperion is an independent British classical label that was established in 1980 with the goal of showcasing recordings of music in all genres and from all time period ...

* ''

Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include sym ...

: A Midsummer Nights Dream'' (2003); with John Nelson conducting the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris,

EMI Classics EMI Classics was a record label founded by Thorn EMI in 1990 to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogues for internationally distributed classical music releases. After Thorn EMI demerged in 1996, its recorded mus ...

* ''Mozart: The Last Concerto 1791'' (2002); with Frans Brüggen conducting the

Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century The Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century ( nl, Orkest van de Achttiende Eeuw) is a Dutch early music orchestra. Frans Brüggen and Lucy van Dael co-founded the orchestra in 1981. Sieuwert Verster became financial manager in 1984. Although he di ...

, Glossa * ''

: Stabat Mater'' (2010); with

conducting the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, EMI Classics * ''Homecoming: The Kansas City Symphony Presents Joyce DiDonato'' (2012); Michael Stern conducting

Recitals

* ''Amor e gelosia: Handel Operatic Duets'' (2004); with Patrizia Ciofi, Alan Curtis leading Il Complesso Barocco,

* ''The Deepest Desire'', songs by Bernstein, Copland and Heggie (2006); accompanied by pianist David Zobel, Eloquentia * ''Joyce DiDonato: Songs by Fauré, Hahn and Head · Arias by Rossini and Handel'', (recorded live at

, released 2006); accompanied by pianist

Wigmore Hall Live In October 2005, the Wigmore Hall, London, England, became the first concert hall to launch its own record label: Wigmore Hall Live, building upon the venue's existing reputation as a recital hall established early in the 20th century. One of t ...

* ''¡Pasión!'', songs by de Falla, Granados, Montsalvatge, Obradors and Turina (2007); accompanied by pianist

, Eloquentia * ''Furore – Mad Scenes from Handel Operas'' (2008);

Christophe Rousset Christophe Rousset (; born 12 April 1961) is a French harpsichordist and conductor, who specializes in the performance of Baroque music on period instruments. He is also a musicologist, particularly of opera and European music of the 17th and 1 ...

conducting Les Talens Lyriques, Virgin Classics * ''Colbran, the Muse'', Rossini Opera Arias for Isabella Colbran (2009); Edoardo Müller conducting Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Virgin Classics * ''Diva, Divo'', arias by Bellini, Berlioz, Gluck, Gounod, Massenet, Mozart, Rossini and R. Strauss (2011); Kazushi Ono conducting Orchestre et Choeur de l' Opéra National de Lyon, Virgin Classics * ''Drama Queens'', arias by Cesti, Giacomelli, Händel, Hasse,

, Keiser, Monteverdi, Orlandini and Porta (2012); Alan Curtis leading Il Complesso Barocco, Virgin Classics * ''Rejoyce! The Best of Joyce DiDonato'' ompilation(2013) Erato * ''Stella di Napoli'', arias by Pacini, Bellini, Donizetti,

Carafe A carafe () is a glass container with a flared lip used for serving liquids, especially wine and coffee. Unlike the related decanter, carafes generally do not include stoppers. Coffee pots included in coffee makers are also referred to as ''car ...

, Valentini and Mercadante (2014);

conducting Orchestre et Choeur de l'Opéra de Lyon, Erato * ''here/after'', songs by

Stephen Costello Stephen John Costello (born September 29, 1981 in Philadelphia) is an American operatic tenor and a recipient of the 2009 Richard Tucker Award.''Philadelphia Inquirer'' (April 17, 2009) Costello has performed in noted opera houses around the wor ...

(2015); Joyce DiDonato,

Nathan Gunn Nathan T. Gunn (born November 26, 1970, in South Bend, Indiana) is an American operatic baritone who performs regularly around the world. He is an alumnus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he is currently a professor of voi ...

, Talise Trevigne,

Carol Wincenc Carol Wincenc ( ) born June 29, 1949 is an American flutist based in New York City. She is known for her solo and chamber music performances and her support of new music for the flute. She is on the faculty of the Juilliard School and Stony Brook U ...

Alexander String Quartet The Alexander String Quartet is a string quartet based in San Francisco. Formed in New York in 1981, the Alexander String Quartet has since 1989 been Ensemble in Residence of San Francisco Performances and directors of the Morrison Chamber Music ...

, PENTATONE PTC 5186515 * '' Passing By - Songs by Jake Heggie'', with Isabel Bayrakdarian,

Zheng Cao Zheng Cao (July 9, 1966February 21, 2013) was a Chinese-born, American operatic mezzo-soprano known for her signature role of Suzuki in ''Madama Butterfly''. She performed this role with opera companies such as San Francisco Opera, Grand Thé� ...

, Susan Graham, Paul Groves, Keith Phares, Frederica von Stade, Dawn Harms (violin), CarlaMaria Rodrigues (viola), Emil Miland (cello) and

(piano) (2010) Avie AV-2198 * ''Joyce & Tony: Live at Wigmore Hall'', arias by

, Santoliquido, a cantata by

and songs from the

(recorded September 2014, released 2015); accompanied by

at the piano, Erato * ''In War & Peace: Harmony through music'', arias by

, Purcell, Monteverdi, Leo and Jommelli (2016); Maxim Emelyanychev conducting Il Pomo d'Oro, Erato * ''Songplay'' (2019) Erato

Others

* ''William Barnewitz: Long Road Home'', DiDonato appears as a guest artist, released 2007, Avie * ''Plácido Domingo's

Operalia Plácido Domingo's Operalia, The World Opera Competition is an annual international competition for opera singers. Founded in 1993 by Plácido Domingo, the competition's varied prizes have been given to known artists such as Joseph Calleja, Rol ...

'98: A Tribute to Passion and Soul'', released 1998, Montblanc

References

External links

*
Interview with Joyce DiDonato, June 2012

Interview with Joyce DiDonato, September 2008
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Didonato, Joyce 1969 births Living people Academy of Vocal Arts alumni American people of Irish descent American operatic mezzo-sopranos Bishop Miege High School alumni Grammy Award winners EMI Classics and Virgin Classics artists Honorary Members of the Royal Academy of Music Laurence Olivier Award winners Operalia, The World Opera Competition prize-winners People from Prairie Village, Kansas Richard Tucker Award winners Handel Prize winners Wichita State University alumni Singers from Kansas Classical musicians from Kansas 20th-century American women opera singers Erato Records artists 21st-century American women opera singers