| Biography |
| Praised for her "creme caramel tones" and "warm and ingratiating mezzo" (Albuquerque Journal), Ann McMahon Quintero returns to the New Israeli Opera in the 2007-08 season as Marquise Melibea in Il viaggio a Reims. Her other upcoming engagements include her Teatro alla Scala debut as the Prole Woman in Maazel's 1984, Baba the Turk in The Rake's Progress with Angers Nantes Opera, a return to Washington National Opera as Auntie in Peter Grimes, as well as her first performances of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. In the 2006-07 season, she sang performances of both the title role in Vivaldi's Juditha Triumphans and Messiah with Boston Baroque and additional performances of Messiah with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. She also made her international debut as La Haine in Gluck's Armide with the New Israeli Opera as well as sang Isabella in L'italiana in Algeri in family performances with Palm Beach Opera, Haydn's Paukenmesse at Carnegie Hall, and Gertrude in Romeo et Juliette with Toledo Opera The mezzo-soprano made her debut with Washington National Opera in the 2003-04 season as Tisbe in La cenerentola for which she garnered praise from both reviewers and within the company for not only her vocal portrayal, but also her stage presence and dynamic comic talent. She was immediately reengaged by the company for Dritte Dame in Die Zauberfloete for the 2004-05 season. She previously joined the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for Olga Olsen in Street Scene as well as the company's production of Hansel und Gretel, sang Messiah with the National Philharmonic, and joined Opera Orchestra of New York for Guillaume Tell. While an apprentice at Santa Fe Opera, Ms. Quintero performed several roles on the main stage including Glasa in Katya Kabanova as well as Teresa in La Sonnambula and sang scenes of Cornelia in Giulio Cesare and Leonora in La Favorita. Ms. Quintero is a 2006 winner of the Sara Tucker Study Grant from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation as well as the Second Place Winner of the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation's International Vocal Competition. In 2005 she received both the George London Award and Sullivan Foundation Award and was a Semi-Finalist in Placido Domingo's Operalia Competition in Madrid. She was a 2002 Grand National Finalist in the prestigious Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and made her first appearance on the company's stage in the Grand Finals Concert under the direction of Maestro Julius Rudel. Ann McMahon Quintero was graduated with honors and received her Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University. During her time at Northwestern, in addition to performing the title role in Carmen and Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia in scenes programs, she also sang Miss Todd in Old Maid and the Thief, Tituba in The Crucible, and Zita in Gianni Schicchi. Equally adept on the concert stage, she performed Ravel's Sheherazade and Bach's Magnificat and B minor Mass with the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra and has since sung the Durufle Requiem. |
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