Boston Bel Canto Opera

BBCO - Artists

JOANNA PORACKOVA

Joanna Porackova

Review of European Performance

Ms. Porackova was complimented by The American Record Guide, January 1999, as "the absolutely phenomenal dramatic soprano" for her performance as Anaide to Jerome Hines' Mose in Rossini's Mose in Egitto at Alice Trully Hall in New York's Lincoln Center. She also won critical acclaim from the New York Times for the same role as "the most stageworthy in the cast and her soprano blossomed throughout the evening." After her successful performance of the title role of Norma with the Boston Bel Canto Opera, the Boston Globe described her as a "mythic soprano with heroic declamation, suave cantilena, delicate fioritura and a huge vocal and emotional range, a poet's feeling for nuance and the staying power of triathelete... sending the audience into frenzies with her melting cadenzas, impassioned recitatives and floating high notes." Opera News said her Norma demonstrated "fine bel canto style, passion, color and phrasing."

Ms. Porackova has been engaged in principal roles with the Boston Lyric, Baltimore, Connecticut, Greater Miami, Seattle, Treasure Coast, Anchorage, Boston Bel Canto and Boston Academy of Music. She has performed the title roles in Aida, Tosca, La Wally, Rusalka as well as Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana, Giorgetta in Il Tabarro and Leonora in Il Trovatore. She made her European debut in the title role of Salome and as Abigaille in Nabucco in Germany. Ms. Porackova's concert repertoire includes Mahler's Second Symphony, Verdi's Requiem, Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder, Beethoven's Ah! Perfido, Strauss's Vier Letzte Leider, and Wagner's Kiebestod. She has performed with the Civic Symphony Orchestra of Boston, the Ars Musica Chorale (NY), Symphony Pro Musica, the Northwest Indiana Symphony and the Longwood Symphony Orchestra. She sang a recital at the Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv, Israel, where she was the first place winner in Jerusalem Vocal Institute Competition. She was also presented by the Wagner Society of New York in a debut recital in CAMI Hall, NY, and she was an invited guest performer in the 1999 Metropolitan Opera Guild Master Classes.

Ms. Porackova was recently a finalist in the Richard Tucker Foundation Competition, a fellowship award winner with the Opera Music Theatre International (OMTI), and a grant winner from the Wagner Society of New York. She is also prominently listed in the American Wagner Singers Gold Book 2000. She has appeared on CBS's "Good Morning, America" and her voice has been heard on WGBH Boston classical radio. Ms. Porackova recently gave a debut recital in Washington, D.C. sponsored by American Records. This year, she performed at Music at Beaulieu Abbey Concert Series, Hampshire, England and the Gerlesborg Art School Concert Series in Sweden and she is featured in the upcoming British television series "The Estate," directed by Michael Mansfield. In the fall, she sang the part of Leonora in Boston Bel Canto Opera's production of Il Trovatore and a concert of Rachmaninoff's songs in the Boston Conservatory Chamber Players Concert Series with Michael Lewin, pianist. American Records will release this season a CD of Ms. Porackova performing rare Italian art songs with pianist Bradley Pennington, and one of Rachmaninoff and Medtner songs with pianist Constance Keene.