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 Takesha Meshe Kizart, Soprano

"Bellissima e Bravissima!" young and rising spinto soprano, Takesha Meshe Kizart, was recently crowned victorious by the jury, media, and public at the Concorso Internazionale Voci Verdiane ìCitt‡ di Bussetoî. A third-year Resident Artist of the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, her performance credits include her professional operatic stage debut starring as The Duchess in AdËsí Powder Her Face with Musikfest Bremen, Anna in Le Villi, MimÏ in La BohËme, Giorgetta in Il Tabarro, the title role of Suor Angelica, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Fiordiligi in CosÏ fan tutte, Contessa Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Lia in LíEnfant Prodigue, Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow, the title role of Fort Worth Operaís tour of La Cenerentola, the World Premiere of Train Is Cominí: Fisk Jubilee Singers, H‰ndelís Messiah, Rossiniís Stabat Mater, Mendelssohnís Lobegesang, Duboisí Seven Last Words, Saint-SaÎnsí Christmas Oratorio, and Wagnerís Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde.

The grand-niece of Blues legend McKinley "Muddy Waters" Morganfield and a performer since the age of two, this Chicago native has been a featured artist throughout the United States and abroad, appearing with The Dallas Opera, LíOrchestra della Fondazione Arturo Toscanini, The WDR Broadcast Orchestra of Kˆln, and many others. Ms. Kizart's vocal gift, with its ìrich lyrical beauty and sheer dramatic powerî, has garnered special recognition from numerous organizations and competitions. Among them, The Marian Anderson Historical Society, Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Opera Index Inc. Awards, The Dallas Opera Guild Competition, Classical Singer Magazine Young Artist Competition, Competizione dellíOpera Internationaler Gesangswettbewerb der Italienischen Oper, The Altamura/Caruso International Voice Competition, The Liederkranz Foundation Awards which led to her Carnegie Hall debut with the aria Pleurez, mes yeuz from Massenetís Le Cid, and The Licia AlbaneseñPuccini Foundation Awards which led to her Alice Tully Hall debut with the aria Vissi díarte from Puccini's Tosca.

Upcoming appearances include concerts for Opera Index Inc. Tribute to Jessye Norman, SWR Broadcast Orchestra Kaiserslautern & Faszination Musik TV, the General Consulate of France NYC, and Die Oper Frankfurt, recitals in honor of Carlisle Floyd and Samuel Barber, and debut operatic performances of the title role of Vanessa with AVA, Desdemona in Otello with The Altamura Center for Arts & Cultures, and Donna Leonora in La forza del destino with Bremer Theater.