Fabiana Bravo
Encyclopedia
Fabiana Bravo is an acclaimed Argentine
opera
tic soprano
, who has achieved international success both through her interpretation of concert literature and in her powerful portrayals of operatic heroines.
, outside Mendoza, Argentina
, to a family of modest means. She moved to Buenos Aires
at age 22, and actively sought parts in the city's vibrant theatre scene. She appeared in José Cibrián
's Drácula, and Peter MacFarlane's Broadway follies and Broadway II, among other productions. He talent was noticed by singer Valeria Lynch
, who hired Bravo and who, in 1995 introduced her to Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti
. Pavarotti included Bravo in an operatic talent contest, which she won, and which led to her role with Pavarotti as Lucia di Lammermoor
at the Academy of Music
in Philadelphia.
She would go on to portray Tosca
, Countess Almaviva, Leonora, Giorgetta, and Madama Butterfly
in some of the world’s most renowned houses. In 1999, she was named Argentina’s Woman of the Year for her remarkable contributions to the arts. After an early career in musical theatre
, she was introduced to the famous singer Luciano Pavarotti
. She won his international competition, and also received numerous awards as a Plácido Domingo
Operalia Finalist, Opera Index winner and Met Council Winner of the Regional Finalist Competition. She was added to the Metropolitan Opera
Roster in the 2001/2002 season, and continues to perform in New York
, Washington, D.C, San Francisco, and Chicago
with regularity.
In recent years, Bravo has sung the Countess Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro (1997), Mimi in La Bohème
(1998), Donna Anna in Don Giovanni
(1999) and the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos
(2002), all in opera productions of Washington D.C’s Summer Opera Theatre Company. She also sings with Virginia Opera
, where her performance of Donna Anna brought her recognition as a much sought-after artist.
It was a personally tailored full scholarship program at The Catholic University of America
that brought Fabiana Bravo from Argentina to Washington DC. From there she also studied interpretation at the Renata Scotto
Institute in Savona
, Italy
, and verdian repertoire at the Verdi Opera Studio in Parma
, Italy. Finally, she accepted a one year scholarship program to study in Voghera
, Italy, at the Academy of Vocal Arts.
Fabiana Bravo met with and performed for the United States Supreme Court in 1999, and has brought recognition of her hometown of Mendoza, through a series of very popular South American Recitals. She is now a renowned name in the international opera world, and performs in concert and opera throughout the world. Ms. Bravo currently resides in Washington, DC and Mendoza, Argentina.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
, who has achieved international success both through her interpretation of concert literature and in her powerful portrayals of operatic heroines.
Life and work
Fabiana Bravo was born in Guaymallén DepartmentGuaymallén Department
Guaymallén is a central department of Mendoza Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 250,000 inhabitants in an area of 164km², and its capital city is Villa Nueva, which is located around 1,090km from Capital Federal....
, outside Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
, to a family of modest means. She moved to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
at age 22, and actively sought parts in the city's vibrant theatre scene. She appeared in José Cibrián
José Cibrián
José Cibrián , nicknamed Pepe, was an Argentine actor. Born in Buenos Aires, where he also died, he has an extensive filmography, including well-received movies such as Pájaro loco and La Cigarra no es un bicho....
's Drácula, and Peter MacFarlane's Broadway follies and Broadway II, among other productions. He talent was noticed by singer Valeria Lynch
Valeria Lynch
-Biography:Valeria Lynch was born on January 7, 1952 in the neighborhood of Villa Urquiza, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Is the first child of the marriage of Maria Antonia Spano and José Julio Lancellotti....
, who hired Bravo and who, in 1995 introduced her to Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti
right|thumb|Luciano Pavarotti performing at the opening of the Constantine Palace in [[Strelna]], 31 May 2003. The concert was part of the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of [[St...
. Pavarotti included Bravo in an operatic talent contest, which she won, and which led to her role with Pavarotti as Lucia di Lammermoor
Lucia di Lammermoor
Lucia di Lammermoor is a dramma tragico in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian language libretto loosely based upon Sir Walter Scott's historical novel The Bride of Lammermoor....
at the Academy of Music
Academy of Music (Philadelphia)
The Academy of Music, also known as American Academy of Music, is a concert hall and opera house located at Broad and Locust Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1857 and is the oldest opera house in the United States that is still used for its original purpose...
in Philadelphia.
She would go on to portray Tosca
Tosca
Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900...
, Countess Almaviva, Leonora, Giorgetta, and Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Puccini based his opera in part on the short story "Madame Butterfly" by John Luther Long, which was dramatized by David Belasco...
in some of the world’s most renowned houses. In 1999, she was named Argentina’s Woman of the Year for her remarkable contributions to the arts. After an early career in musical theatre
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
, she was introduced to the famous singer Luciano Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti
right|thumb|Luciano Pavarotti performing at the opening of the Constantine Palace in [[Strelna]], 31 May 2003. The concert was part of the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of [[St...
. She won his international competition, and also received numerous awards as a Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
Operalia Finalist, Opera Index winner and Met Council Winner of the Regional Finalist Competition. She was added to the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
Roster in the 2001/2002 season, and continues to perform in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Washington, D.C, San Francisco, and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
with regularity.
In recent years, Bravo has sung the Countess Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro (1997), Mimi in La Bohème
La bohème
La bohème is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions quadro, a tableau or "image", rather than atto . by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger...
(1998), Donna Anna in Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
(1999) and the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos
Ariadne auf Naxos
Ariadne auf Naxos is an opera by Richard Strauss with a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Bringing together slapstick comedy and consuming beautiful music, the opera's theme is the competition between high and low art for the public's attention.- First version :The opera was originally...
(2002), all in opera productions of Washington D.C’s Summer Opera Theatre Company. She also sings with Virginia Opera
Virginia Opera
Virginia Opera is an opera company based in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Organized in 1974 by a group of Norfolk, Virginia community volunteers, Virginia Opera presented its first productions in 1975 and in the intervening four decades has become known and respected nationwide for the...
, where her performance of Donna Anna brought her recognition as a much sought-after artist.
It was a personally tailored full scholarship program at The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
that brought Fabiana Bravo from Argentina to Washington DC. From there she also studied interpretation at the Renata Scotto
Renata Scotto
Renata Scotto is an Italian soprano and opera director.Recognized for her sense of style, musicality and as a remarkable singer-actress, Scotto is considered one of the preeminent singers of her generation, specializing in the bel canto repertoire with excursions into the verismo and Verdi...
Institute in Savona
Savona
Savona is a seaport and comune in the northern Italian region of Liguria, capital of the Province of Savona, in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and verdian repertoire at the Verdi Opera Studio in Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
, Italy. Finally, she accepted a one year scholarship program to study in Voghera
Voghera
thumb|250px|The Castle of Voghera in a 19th century etching.Voghera is a town and comune of Lombardy, Italy, in the province of Pavia...
, Italy, at the Academy of Vocal Arts.
Fabiana Bravo met with and performed for the United States Supreme Court in 1999, and has brought recognition of her hometown of Mendoza, through a series of very popular South American Recitals. She is now a renowned name in the international opera world, and performs in concert and opera throughout the world. Ms. Bravo currently resides in Washington, DC and Mendoza, Argentina.
Sources
- Armendáriz, Alberto, "Fabiana Bravo en Nueva York" (in Spanish), La NaciónLa NaciónLa Nación is an Argentine daily newspaper. The country's leading conservative paper, the centrist Clarín is its main competitor. It is the only newspaper in Argentina still published in broadsheet format.-Overview:...
, May 5, 2006 - Regenstreif, Gary, http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/19157333.html?dids=19157333:19157333&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+24%2C+1996&author=by+Gary+Regenstreif+REUTERS+NEWS+AGENCY&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Soprano+sings+tragedy+from+the+heart+She+wins+world+attention%2C+but+Argentine+can't+forget+early+loss+and+poverty&pqatl=google"Soprano sings tragedy from the heart She wins world attention, but Argentine can't forget early loss and poverty"], Toronto StarToronto StarThe Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
, December 24, 1996, p. D4 - Tommasini, Anthony, "Thwarting Love and Greed In Puccini's Three One-Acts", New York Times, September 12, 2002