Daveda Karanas
Vocalists
— Mezzo-Soprano
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Manager: Damon Bristo
Management Territory: Worldwide
“The throbbing mezzo-soprano of Daveda Karanas as the farseeing Brangäne always gave gold-standard satisfaction, especially when she was set like a solitary gem in the third-tier balcony centre aisle to warn Isolde that she was flirting with fire.” —Stanley Fefferman, Bachtrack, February 11, 2013 - Brangäne in 'Tristan und Isolde' at the Canadian Opera Company
“Bluebeard’s Castle is after all a very long duet, ultimately successful only if both protagonists are on the same level. The considerable gamble the Maggio took by casting as Judit a young singer in the beginning phase of her career paid off handsomely. The Greek-American mezzo-soprano Daveda Karanas, making her European debut, managed not only not to look out of place opposite such an experienced artist as Goerne, but held her own, with a most passionate interpretation and a bright, almost piercing instrument that reflected the heroine’s youthful impulsiveness. The high C of the fifth door, a nightmare for so many mezzo-sopranos tackling this hybrid role, was splendidly nailed.” —Nicola Lischi, Opera Britannia, June 9, 2012 - Judit in 'Bluebeard's Castle' at Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
“She boasts a large, brawny instrument with more than a touch of steel, and it's been gratifying during the recent years to hear how well she's learned to channel that power into expressive and carefully modulated phrasing. Karanas can still unleash a powerhouse of sound when she needs to, and her upper register sounded especially potent and true on Sunday. But her finest showing came in the more intimate passages of the recital, which she delivered with tender eloquence.” —Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, April 12, 2011 - Schwabacher recital debut in San Francisco
About
A winner of the 2008 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Greek-American mezzo-soprano Daveda Karanas has been hailed for her “capacious power” and “a voice lustrous and exciting” (San Francisco Chronicle).
In the 2012 – 2013 season, Daveda Karanas made her German debut at Oper Frankfurt as Marfa in 'Khovanshchina' and debuted at the Canadian Opera Company as Brangäne in 'Tristan und Isolde' directed by Peter Sellars. She also joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera in their production of the Berlioz masterpiece 'Les Troyens' covering the role of Cassandre in 'La . . . prise de Troie'. Next season, she makes her Lyric Opera of Chicago debut as Kundry in 'Parsifal' conducted by Andrew Davis. Future seasons will see Ms. Karanas in leading roles of her repertoire at the San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opernhaus Zurich, Canadian Opera Company, Vancouver Opera, and Seattle Opera.
Last season, Ms. Karanas made an acclaimed European debut at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino as Judit in 'Duke Bluebeard’s Castle' under Zsolt Hamar in the festival’s 75th Anniversary. She also covered the role of Judit in the same production at the Saito Kinen Festival in Japan and on tour in China under Seiji Ozawa. She was then seen at Opera Grand Rapids for her role debut as Azucena in 'Il trovatore'. Ms. Karanas sang her first performances of Amneris in 'Aida' at Arizona Opera, followed by Vancouver Opera, Glimmerglass Festival in a new production by Francesca Zambello, and covered the role at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
The 2010 - 2011 season saw Ms. Karanas in her first complete 'Ring Cycle' at San Francisco Opera under Donald Runnicles. In Francesca Zambello’s staging, she sang both Waltraute and the 2nd Norn in the new production of 'Götterdämmerung' and Waltraute in 'Die Walküre'. Ms. Karanas also sang Suzuki in 'Madama Butterfly' and covered Amneris in 'Aida', both under Nicola Luisotti at the San Francisco Opera. Recently, Ms. Karanas sang performances of Waltraute and covered Fricka in San Francisco Opera’s 'Die Walküre' conducted by Donald Runnicles. She also covered Brangäne in 'Tristan und Isolde' with Seattle Opera. With the Arizona Opera, she performed in “A Concert of Signature Arias” along with Christine Brewer, Richard Margison, and Gordon Hawkins featuring arias and duets from 'Don Carlo', 'Macbeth', and 'Norma'. She concluded her San Francisco Opera Center Adler Fellowship in performances of the Mistress of Novices in 'Suor Angelica' with Patrick Summers conducting, as well as covering Azucena in 'Il trovatore' with new music director Nicola Luisotti.
As an Adler Fellow at the San Francisco Opera, Ms. Karanas has performed in scenes as Amneris in 'Aida' and Brangäne in 'Tristan und Isolde', as well as covering the role of Fricka in 'Das Rheingold' conducted by Donald Runnicles. She also participated in San Francisco Opera’s Verdi Requiem with Donald Runnicles conducting.
Prior to her residency at San Francisco Opera, she made debuts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Levine in Schönberg’s 'Moses und Aron' as Vierte nackte Jungfrau and the Chicago Opera Theater as Ericlea in 'Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria' conducted by Jane Glover. She also performed the role of Tisbe in 'La Cenerentola' with the Merola Opera Program, conducted by Martin Katz.
Ms. Karanas holds a Master of Music degree from Arizona State University. While earning her degree, she performed such roles as Judith in 'Bluebeard’s Castle', Mère Marie in 'Dialogues des Carmélites', and the Mother in 'Amahl and the Night Visitors'. She was also a member of the Boston University Opera Institute where she performed the role of Zia Principessa in 'Suor Angelica' and the Lady with a Hat Box in 'Postcard from Morocco'.
Daveda Karanas is a winner of the 2008 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. She has also received an encouragement award from the George London Foundation in 2009. She was an international semi-finalist in the 2007 Neue Stimmen Competition, a recipient of the 2006 Encouragement Award at the Marilyn Horne Foundation Competition, and grand prizewinner of the 2005 Arizona Opera League Competition.
(Updated April 2013)
