Daveda Karanas

• Mezzo-Soprano

Biography

For the 2009 – 2010 season, Daveda Karanas sang performances of Waltraute and covered Fricka in San Francisco Opera’s 'Die Walküre' conducted by Donald Runnicles. She also covered Brangäne in 'Tristan und Isolde' with Seattle Opera. With the Arizona Opera, she performed in “A Concert of Signature Arias” along with Christine Brewer, Richard Margison, and Gordon Hawkins featuring arias and duets from 'Don Carlo', 'Macbeth', and 'Norma'. She concluded her San Francisco Opera Center Adler Fellowship in performances of the Mistress of Novices in 'Suor Angelica' with Patrick Summers conducting, as well as covering Azucena in 'Il trovatore' with new music director Nicola Luisotti.

As an Adler Fellow at the San Francisco Opera, Ms. Karanas has performed in scenes as Amneris in 'Aida' and Brangäne in 'Tristan und Isolde', as well as covering the role of Fricka in 'Das Rheingold' conducted by Donald Runnicles. She also participated in San Francisco Opera’s Verdi Requiem with Donald Runnicles conducting.

The 2006 – 2007 season included her debuts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Levine in Schönberg’s 'Moses und Aron' as Vierte nackte Jungfrau and the Chicago Opera Theater as Ericlea in 'Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria' conducted by Jane Glover. She also performed the role of Tisbe in 'La Cenerentola' with the Merola Opera Program, conducted by Martin Katz.

Ms. Karanas holds a Master of Music degree from Arizona State University. While earning her degree, she performed such roles as Judith in 'Bluebeard’s Castle', Mère Marie in 'Dialogues des Carmélites', and the Mother in 'Amahl and the Night Visitors'. She was also a member of the Boston University Opera Institute where she performed the role of Zia Principessa in 'Suor Angelica' and the Lady with a Hat Box in 'Postcard from Morocco'.

In addition to the 2008 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions winner, Ms. Karanas was an international semi-finalist in the 2007 Neue Stimmen Competition, a recipient of the 2006 Encouragement Award at the Marilyn Horne Foundation Competition, and grand prizewinner of the 2005 Arizona Opera League Competition.