Joanna Mongiardo, soprano

 The internationally acclaimed soprano Joanna Mongiardo is recognized for her effortless coloratura and spell-binding charisma on stage and is in high demand for both operatic and symphonic repertoire. Appearing with such conductors as Neeme Jarvi, John Fiore and Daniel Hege, she has been invited to sing with many of the major orchestras and opera houses, including the Detroit Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Oregon Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic and San Diego Symphony as well as the New York City Opera, Portland Opera, Knoxville Opera and the Caramoor Festival. Singing Juliette in Roméo et Juliette with Madison Opera, The Capital Times hailed her “rich, vibrant voice that's full and powerful. She is what all sopranos should be."  

Season 2007/08 brings an array of debuts with major American orchestras, most notably Messiah with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Carmina Burana with the Colorado Symphony, and Die Schöpfung with the Louisiana Philharmonic under Carlos Miguel Prieto. Other highlights include Haydn’s Creation with the National Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall and Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier with the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra.  

With the 2006/07 season came the end of Mongiardo’s two-year fest-contract at the Deutsche Opera am Rhein in Düsseldorf, Germany, where she sang various roles from Blondchen to Susanna to Nanetta with great success. In the US, she performed during that season at a New Year’s Eve gala with the Memphis Symphony and appeared at Carnegie Hall in Mozart’s Requiem under the auspices of MidAmerica Productions. She was also the soprano soloist in Carmina Burana with the Xalapa Symphony in Mexico. 

In the summer of 2006, Mongiardo sang the title role in The Ballad of Baby Doe’s 50th Anniversary production at Central City Opera, a major operatic event that produced remarkable acclaim from the national press.  

Other highlights of recent seasons include Carmen and Madama Butterfly at the New York City Opera, Così fan tutte at the Mostly Mozart Festival, and L’elisir d’amore and Gluck’s Paride ed Elena with the Caramoor Festival. She performed one of her signature pieces, Carmina Burana, with the Detroit Symphony, Oratorio Society of New York at Carnegie Hall, and the symphonies of Illinois, Lincoln, Chattanooga and Youngstown, among others. 

A 2003 Sullivan Award Recipient, Joanna Mongiardo received a Masters Degree in music from Yale University.