Angela is Washington National Opera’s Artist of the Year

Angela has just been named Artist of the Year by the Washington National Opera (WNO). The May 13 announcement comes on the heels of the soprano’s triumphant company debut, in which she “thrilled WNO devotees with her nearly mind-blowing mastery of Bellini’s most challenging music” (Washington Times) in the title role of Norma. Previous recipients of the Artist of the Year award, which carries a $5,000 cash prize, include mezzo-sopranos Frederica von Stade and Denyce Graves, tenor Jerry Hadley, and conductor John Mauceri.

“I’m so honored to be chosen as Washington National Opera’s Artist of the Year and I appreciate their generosity with this award,” Meade responded when she heard the news. “I had such a wonderful time in Washington, DC this winter, and performing the role of Norma for the first time in a staged production was thrilling for me.”

“It was a privilege for the entire company to work with Angela as she performed her first staged performances of Norma,” said WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello. “Our audiences were riveted and thrilled by her fearless delivery, and many people told me they came back for multiple performances. As Angela garners worldwide acclaim for this role in the coming seasons, we will remain proud that she debuted it here in Washington.”

This coming October, the soprano – who is also the winner of the 2012 Beverly Sills Artist Award and 2011 Richard Tucker Award – will reprise Bellini’s heroine at the Metropolitan Opera. In the meantime, she looks forward to appearances as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at Cincinnati Opera (June 13 & 15) and to her return to the Caramoor International Music Festival to celebrate the Verdi bicentennial. Besides performing the Italian composer’s Ave Maria, volgarizzata da Dante with string quartet (June 27), Meade will headline a semi-staged performance of Les vêpres siciliennes in the original French, with Will Crutchfield and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s (July 6).