Country

:

Germany

Birth

:

April 19, 1956

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Opera

 

 

Vocal

 

Barbara Bonney was a renowned American soprano who was born on April 14, 1956, in Montclair, New Jersey. She was the youngest of three children and grew up in a musical family. Her father was a jazz musician, and her mother was a singer and pianist. Bonney began singing at a young age and showed a natural talent for music. Bonney attended the University of Southern California, where she studied voice with Gwendolyn Koldofsky. She later continued her studies at the Salzburg Mozarteum with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and at the London Opera Centre with Vera Rozsa. Bonney made her professional debut in 1979 at the Salzburg Festival, where she sang the role of Barbarina in Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro." Throughout her career, Bonney was known for her beautiful voice and her ability to interpret a wide range of repertoire. She was particularly renowned for her performances of Mozart, Schubert, and Richard Strauss. Bonney was also known for her collaborations with some of the world's leading conductors, including Claudio Abbado, Sir Simon Rattle, and Sir John Eliot Gardiner. One of Bonney's most significant performances was her portrayal of Susanna in Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" at the Glyndebourne Festival in 1986. Her performance was widely praised, and it helped establish her as one of the leading sopranos of her generation. Bonney also performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Royal Opera House in London, and the Paris Opera. Bonney received numerous awards and honors throughout her career. In 1991, she was awarded the title of Kammersängerin by the Austrian government, which is one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon a singer in Austria. She was also awarded the Léonie Sonning Music Prize in 1999, which is one of the most prestigious music awards in Denmark. In addition to her performances, Bonney was also a respected recording artist. She recorded over 100 albums throughout her career, including several award-winning recordings of Mozart's operas. Her recording of Schubert's "Winterreise" with pianist Geoffrey Parsons is considered one of the definitive recordings of the work. Bonney retired from performing in 2012 due to health reasons. She passed away on October 25, 2020, at the age of 64. Her legacy as one of the greatest sopranos of her generation lives on through her recordings and the memories of those who were fortunate enough to hear her perform live.

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