Opera News & Press

Soprano Angela Mannino to Perform Sept 12

Native New Orleanian and Loyola graduate returns for a recital.

Soprano Angela Mannino, a native New Orleanian and graduate of Loyola University New Orleans, will return to her alma mater for a recital on Sunday afternoon, September 12th, at 3pm in Roussel Hall in the Communications/Music Complex. Ms. Mannino, who studied with Dreux Montegut at Loyola, is well known in the New Orleans music theater community, having appeared in many local productions while she pursued her undergraduate degree. She completed her master's degree in voice at Indiana University in the studio of Constanza Cuccaro, adding many roles to her resume. She spent two summers at the prestigious Santa Fe Opera in their young artist program and is now based in the Windy City, where she was a member of the renowned Ryan Center affiliated with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Ms. Mannino made her Lyric debut in October 2008 as the Maid in a production of Massenet's Manon, starring Natalie Dessay. Later that same season she earned rave reviews, substituting on opening night for an ailing Polish soprano in the leading role of Blondchen in Mozart's Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail.

For the New Orleans Opera Ms. Mannino has sung the roles of the Slave in Salome (November 2002) and Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro (November 2006). She is probably best remembered, however, for her charming appearances as Sister Genevieve in Suor Angelica and Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi in the company's November 2007 production of Il Trittico by Puccini. Ms. Mannino just made her Metropolitan Opera debut this past May in Berg's Lulu, reprising a role she had done in Chicago during 2009-10. She sang Fiorilla in Rossini's Il Turco in Italia at Wolf Trap Opera this past summer and will make her Grand Rapids Opera debut as Gilda in Rigoletto in November.

Her recital will feature songs by 18th-Century Italian composer Vincenzo Righini, pieces by French composers Duparc, Debussy and Hahn, music by Richard Strauss, a set of Spanish music by Obradors and Gardel, two works by contemporary composer Edwin Penhorwood, and musical theater favorites by Richard Rodgers and Lerner & Loewe. For Handel's "Let the bright Seraphim" Ms. Mannino will be joined by the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra's principal trumpet, Vance Woolf. Carol Rausch, Chorus Master/Music Administrator for the New Orleans Opera and recently appointed head of the opera department at Loyola University New Orleans, will be the pianist.