| Suzan Hanson |
| Soprano Suzan's web page Click here to download a soundbite Salome - excerpt Click here to download a soundbite Ah Fors'e Lui - La Traviata |
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| With recent forays into the roles of Cio-Cio
San and the four heroines in LES CONTES d’HOFFMANN, Suzan is excited to be
exploring operatic roles which fully utilize her abilities as the consummate
singer/actress. Blessed with a voice of exquisite beauty and power, which
has been lauded by critics and audience members alike, it was only a matter
of time before Suzan’s talents would bring her to this challenging yet rewarding
repertoire. Return engagements to many opera and theater companies have afforded Suzan opportunities to develop into a recognized and sought after multi-dimensional artist. Critics have been overwhelmed by the fully realized characters she creates; characters filled with a pathos and humanness often lacking on the operatic stage. Suzan is thrilled at the prospect of adding heroines such as Violetta, Tosca, Norma and Salome to her already substantial operatic repertoire. Simultaneously, Suzan’s acting career has blossomed with recent portrayals of diverse heroines such as the Haunting Hanako in the recent premiere of SOUND OF A VOICE (Phillip Glass and David Henry Hwang), the exuberant, sexy and touching Maria of Charles Mee’s WINTERTIME, and the enigmatic, elegant Actress of ENTER THE GUARDSMAN. Through numerous productions, workshops and readings, working with such luminaries as Faye Dunaway, Leonard Foglia, Michel Legrand, Sheldon Harnick, Robert Woodruff, and Lillian Groag, Suzan has also proven to be a skilled comedienne. Perhaps what is most intriguing in a career such as Suzan’s is her constant involvement with the creation of new works, be they Opera Theater or Theater with Music. Through such productions, Suzan has found a particular niche where she challenges the very lines of differentiation between actress and singer. How exciting then, the prospect of Suzan breathing new life into traditional operatic warhorses! Suzan performed as Brunnhilde in SIEGFRIED and GOTTERDAMERUNG, and Freia in DAS RHEINGOLD in LBO’s RING (Dove ) under the baton of Andreas Mitisek and the direction of Jonathan Eaton. Suzan repeated this production with Opera Theater Pittsburgh conducted by Anthony Negus. She also returned to American Repertory Theater to work again with director Robert Woodruff and composer/playwright/actor/singer Rinde Eckert on his new piece ORPHEUS X, playing Eurydice to overwhelming critical acclaim. There will be other future productions of this work. She performed her first Fiordiligi in COSI FAN TUTTE for Sacramento Opera and revisited the two female roles in SOUND OF A VOICE for Long Beach Opera, once again with director Robert Woodruff, and Andreas Mitisek, conductor. She also performed in a new production by Jonathan Eaton of SOUND OF A VOICE with Pittsburgh Opera Theater. This past season she began with performances of ORFEUS X at the prestigious Edinburgh festival. Following this were performances of Magda in LA RONDINE at Lyric Opera San Diego. Then she reprised performances of Pat Nixon in NIXON IN CHINA at Arena di verona. Performances of ORFEUS X continued at the Hong Kong International Arts Festival. She performed CARMINA BURANA with the Master Chorale of Southern Florida. She has also began a new project as a performer in a new opera ARZUNA’S DILEMA by D. Cuomo. This production is being produced by Music Theater group by and will have perfomances in August at SUNY Purchase in New York and be a part of the BAM Festival in November. In 2011, Suzan sang the title role in Cherubini’s MEDEA with Long Beach Opera, in which she also be arranged and translated the opera herself to rave reviews. Suzan will then perform Poulenc’s solo opera, LA VOIX HUMAINE, with Opera San Jose. 2/4/16 |