Danielle Talamantes

“It’s not often that a fortunate opera-goer witnesses the birth of a star!”
San Francisco review of Danielle Talamantes' debut as Violetta in "La traviata"

Soprano Danielle Talamantes is an international recitalist who made her Carnegie Hall debut in a sold-out solo recital in 2007. Since then, she has sung as soprano soloist with the National Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Austin Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Choral Artists of Sarasota, Choralis, Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin, National Philharmonic, Oratorio Society of Virginia, Seoul Philharmonic, Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, Trujillo Symphony Orchestra of Peru, and The United States Army Chorus. In addition, she was the Soprano in Residence for the Summer 2012 and featured guest soloist at the Summer 2014 Marlboro Music Festival in Marlboro, Vermont.

This season she returned to the Metropolitan Opera in the role of Beatriz in the brand new Thomas Adès opera Exterminating Angel. Additional performances include Mozart’s Requiem with the Cathedral Choral Society of Washington; the Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5, Bach Magnificat, and the role of Fiordilgi in Così fan tutte with the National Philharmonic; Handel’s Messiah with the US Naval Academy and the Austin Symphony; Poulenc’s Gloria with the Arizona State Symphony Orchestra; Mimì in Bohème with the Symphony of NW Arkansas; as well as guest solo appearances with the Fairfax Symphony, El Paso Pro Musica, Close Encounters with Music in Scottsdale and the Berkshires.

After Ms. Talamantes’ critically-acclaimed debut album, Canciones españolas released she got right to work on Heaven and Earth: A Duke Ellington Songbook; a luscious collection of brand-new arrangements of Duke Ellington standards and irreplaceable gems of the American Songbook – written especially for Ms. Talamantes. Both albums are available on the MSR Classics record label.

Last season, Talamantes performed the role of Anna in Nabucco and Frasquita in Carmen with The Metropolitan Opera; performed the soprano solo in Händel’s Messiah and Brahms’ Requiem with National Philharmonic; Mozart’s Requiem with Phoenix Symphony Orchestra; Verdi’s Requiem with the Choral Artists of Sarasota; and Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with Manchester Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, she was a featured soloist with the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and Close Encounters with Music Festival.

Other recent engagements include the soprano solo in Haydn’s Creation with Cathedral Choral Society; Händel’s Messiah at Phoenix Symphony and National Philharmonic; Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Mozart’s Requiem and Exsultate Jubilate at the National Philharmonic; Haydn’s Creation with the Choral Artists of Sarasota; as the soprano soloist in Bob Chilcott’s Requiem at Alice Tully Hall; the soprano lead in a world première production of Janice Hamer’s Lost Childhood with the National Philharmonic; Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with the City Choir of Washington; Dvořák’s Stabat Mater at North Carolina Master Chorale; and turns as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Adina in L’elisir d’amore, Mimì in La bohéme, Violetta in La traviata and a début at Spoleto Festival USA as Sergente in Veremonda.

Ms. Talamantes has been awarded first prize in several prestigious opera competitions, including: the Irene Dalis Opera San Jose Competition; Irma M. Cooper Opera Columbus Competition; XII Concurso de Trujillo; International Lotte Lehman Cybersing Competition; NATS Artist Award; and the Vocal Arts Society Discovery Series competition.   In addition, she has garnered honors and awards in vocal competitions with the National Opera Association, Liederkranz Foundation, Seoul International Music Competition, Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation, Giulio Gari Foundation, Gerda Lissner Foundation, Plácido Domingo’s Operalia and Thomas Quasthoff’s Das Lied.