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Angel Blue

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Angel Blue
Blue in London in 2013
Born (1984-05-03) May 3, 1984 (age 40)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Redlands (BM)
University of California, Los Angeles (MM)
OccupationOpera singer (soprano)
Websiteangeljoyblue.com
Blue (right), Plácido Domingo (center)

Angel Joy Blue (born May 3, 1984) is an American soprano. She won the Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording for the Metropolitan Opera production of Porgy and Bess in the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.[1]

Her voice has been recognized for its shining and agile upper register, "smoky" middle register, beautiful timbre,[2] and ability to switch from a classical to a contemporary sound. She has performed internationally and won numerous awards including a Grammy Award, Operalia and Miss Hollywood. According to family lore, when she was born her father, Sylvester, predicted that she would be "the next Leontyne Price".[3]

Education

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Blue earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Redlands in 2005, and a Master of Music degree in Opera Performance from UCLA[4] in 2007. She is an alumna of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, where she studied voice and classical piano. She was a member of the Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program at Los Angeles Opera from 2007 to 2009. Blue was a member of Artistas de la Academia del Palau de les Arts from 2009 to 2010, under Maestros Alberto Zedda, Lorin Maazel, and Zubin Mehta.[5]

Pageants

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Blue is a former model and beauty queen. She was the first African-American to hold the title of Miss Apple Valley, California.[6] She was crowned Miss Hollywood in 2005, and she was 2nd runner up at the Miss California contest that same year.[7] Blue was the 1st runner up to both Miss California in 2006 and Miss Nevada in 2007.[8]

Career

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Blue has performed lead roles and as a featured soloist at the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera House, Vienna State Opera, Canadian Opera Company (Toronto), Los Angeles Opera, San Francisco Opera, Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Colburn School, Royce Hall, the Staples Center, Theater an der Wien, Frankfurt Opera, Munich Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Israeli Philharmonic, Auditorio Nacional de Música, and Seoul Arts Center.[4][9]

Her operatic repertoire includes Violetta (La traviata), Musetta and Mimì (La bohème), Micaëla (Carmen), Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor), Helena (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Liu (Turandot), Manon (Manon), Contessa Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), Giulietta and Antonia (The Tales of Hoffmann), Dido (Dido and Aeneas), and Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni).[citation needed] Blue has sung the national anthem for the Border Governors Conference, hosted by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and for The Women's Conference| in California, hosted by California First Lady Maria Shriver.[10]

In the 2008–2009 season, Blue made her debut with the San Francisco Opera as Clara in Porgy and Bess; she was the featured soloist with the Valdosta Symphony in Valdosta, Georgia, where she sang the soprano role in Arthur Honegger's King David; and she performed scenes from La traviata (Violetta) with the Korean Symphony Orchestra Germany in Seoul and Busan, Korea. In the 2009–2010 season, she was a featured soloist with the Riverside Philharmonic; the Adrian Symphony in Adrian, Michigan; Giro Italia tour with Alberto Zedda throughout Italy; Madrilenos por Haiti concert with La Orquesta Clasica de Espana in Madrid; A Gala Evening with Thomas Hampson in Budapest, Hungary; and she made her debut at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía as Micaëla in Carmen, opposite Marcelo Álvarez and Elīna Garanča, conducted by Zubin Mehta.[citation needed]

Throughout the 2010/11 season, Blue enjoyed engagements with the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, Spain; the American Youth Symphony; the Redlands Symphony; and the Theatre an der Wien in Vienna, Austria where she sang the role of Giulietta in the Tales of Hoffmann directed by Oscar-winning director William Friedkin. She began touring with Plácido Domingo in 2011 opening the Kaufmann Center in Kansas City, Missouri; the Royal Opera House Muscat, Oman, and concerts in Beijing, China, as well as Zagreb, Croatia. In 2020 she sang Bess in Porgy and Bess with the Metropolitan Opera in New York for their first performance of that opera in 30 years.[citation needed]

Blue was a finalist in Operalia 2009, receiving 1st place in the Zarzuela competition, and 2nd place in the Opera competition. In July 2010, Blue was honored to be a part of the 17th Annual Verbier Festival in Switzerland, where she sang in an "Operalia Tribute" Concert sponsored by Rolex. She has also received awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Regional Auditions, A.E.I.O.U Italian Educators Vocal Competition, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion's Emerging Young Entertainers Award, and the Redlands Bowl Competition.[citation needed]

In upcoming seasons Blue revisits Clara in Porgy and Bess in concert with the Berlin Philharmonic and Sir Simon Rattle; returns to the Frankfurt Opera as the Dritte Norn in Richard Wagner's Götterdämmerung; and performs Musetta, La bohème, for the English National Opera. Concert performances will take place in Europe, including Carmina Burana at the Maggio Musicale with Zubin Mehta, Mahler's Symphony No. 2 with the Munich Philharmonic, Verdi's Greatest Hits concert with the Santa Barbara Symphony, Verdi Requiem with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, and the release of her first solo album with British pianist Iain Burnside. She was the only soloist invited to sing for the American Friends of the Israeli Philharmonic in a Tribute Concert to honor the film composer Hans Zimmer.

In the United Kingdom, she appeared at the Edinburgh Festival in 2013, in the title role of Olga Neuwirth's American Lulu, an interpretation of Alban Berg's unfinished opera Lulu.[11] Also that year, she played Musetta in La bohème at the English National Opera[12] and appeared as Mimì the following year.[13]

Blue was featured on Melvyn Bragg's documentary series, the South Bank Show, which aired on Sky Arts on June 19, 2014.[14] Blue has been a favorite in magazines such as The Times, TimeOut, The Daily Telegraph, and on BBC Radio 3’s InTune with Sean Rafferty.[15]

She was the guest judge for the BBC Choir Competition of the Year final in December 2014.[16]

In 2015 she co-hosted the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition with Petroc Trelawny,[17] and the BBC broadcast of Prom 13 (Holst, Boulez) at the Royal Albert Hall, also with Trelawny.[citation needed]

She made her Metropolitan Opera début in 2017 as Mimì in La bohème.[18]

She was supposed to perform Knoxville: Summer of 1915 by Samuel Barber and "This Is Not a Small Voice" by Valerie Coleman as part of BBC Proms on 8 September 2022, but the performance was cancelled due to the death of Elizabeth II (thus de facto ending the 2022 Prom season on September 8, 2022).[19]

In September 2024, Blue appeared at the Last Night of the Proms, performing two opera excerpts by Puccini: Gianni Schicchi – O mio babbino caro and Tosca – Vissi d’arte. She also performed two spirituals with the pianist Stephen Hough, and the aria Al pensar en el dueño de mis amores from the operetta Las hijas del Zebedeo, by Ruperto Chapí, as well as Rule Britannia by Thomas Arne.[20]

Repertoire

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Opera

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Year Role Opera Location Composer
2022 Violetta La traviata Houston Grand Opera Giuseppe Verdi
2022 Violetta La traviata Royal Opera House Giuseppe Verdi
2021 Bess Porgy and Bess Metropolitan Opera George Gershwin
2021 Destiny/Greta/Loneliness Fire Shut Up in My Bones Metropolitan Opera Terence Blanchard
2020 Bess Porgy and Bess Metropolitan Opera George Gershwin
2019 Mimì La bohème Hamburg State Opera Giacomo Puccini
2019 Bess Porgy and Bess Metropolitan Opera George Gershwin
2019 Tosca Tosca Aix-en-Provence Festival Giacomo Puccini
2019 Mimì La bohème Canadian Opera Company Giacomo Puccini
2019 Violetta La traviata Teatro alla Scala Giuseppe Verdi
2019 Violetta La traviata Royal Opera House Giuseppe Verdi
2018 Musetta La bohème Metropolitan Opera Giacomo Puccini
2018 Bess Porgy and Bess Seattle Opera George Gershwin
2018 Marguerite Faust (opera) Portland Opera Charles Gounod
2018 Violetta La traviata Manitoba Opera Giuseppe Verdi
2018 Liu Turandot San Diego Opera Giacomo Puccini
2017 Mimì La bohème Metropolitan Opera Giacomo Puccini
2017 Mimi La bohème Semperoper Giacomo Puccini
2017 Myrtle Wilson The Great Gatsby Semperoper John Harbison
2017 Violetta La traviata Seattle Opera Giuseppe Verdi
2016 Clara Porgy and Bess Teatro alla Scala George Gershwin
2016 Helena Mefistofeles Baden-Baden Arrigo Boito
2016 Mimì La bohème Semperoper Giacomo Puccini
2015 Myrtle Wilson The Great Gatsby Semperoper John Harbison
2015 Mimì La bohème Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía Giacomo Puccini
2015 Musetta La bohème Teatro alla Scala Giacomo Puccini

Concerts

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Date Event Location City
December 30, 2022 Aida in Concert Detroit Opera Detroit, Michigan
March 6, 2022 Angel Blue in Recital Cal Performances Berkeley, California
February 21, 2022 Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven) Carnegie Hall New York
February 8, 2022 The Philadelphia Orchestra Carnegie Hall New York
February 3, 4, 5, 2022 Angel Blue sings Barber Verizon Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
August 7, 2021 Angel Blue in Concert Santa Fe Opera Santa Fe, New Mexico
July 28, 2021 Masterclass with Angel Blue Opera North Lebanon, New Hampshire
May 28, 2020 Songs of Summer: An Online Recital Series Seattle Opera Lebanon, New Hampshire
April 25, 2020 At-Home Gala Metropolitan Opera New York
March 5, 6, 7, 2020 Porgy and Bess in Concert Verizon Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
January 26, 2020 The Titus Art Song Recital Series Moody Performance Hall Dallas, Texas
October 27, 2019 2019 Richard Tucker Gala Carnegie Hall New York
August 8, 2019 Ravinia Festival Martin Theatre Highland Park, Illinois
December 19, 2018 Angel Blue in Recital Terrace Theater Washington, D.C.
December 15, 2018 United Nations Ambassadors' Ball Metropolitan Club New York
November 9, 10, 2018 One City: Beethoven 9 Cincinnati, Ohio
October 17, 2018 A Walt Whitman Sampler Concert American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall New York

News

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Publisher Date Link
BroadwayWorld April 6, 2022 BWW Review: La traviata, Royal Opera House
SF Classical Voice March 7, 2022 Angel Blue Gives a Moving Recital at Cal Performances
The New York Times February 9, 2022 Zachary Woolfe: "Review: Without a Note of Beethoven, an Orchestra Shines"
The Philadelphia Inquirer February 7, 2022 In Philadelphia Orchestra world premiere, Valerie Coleman-Sonia Sanchez collaboration anchors remarkable night
The Santa Fe New Mexican August 6, 2021 Soprano Angel Blue promises to soar in Santa Fe

Awards

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In 2009, Blue was a finalist in Operalia, receiving first place in the zarzuela competition, and second place in the opera competition.[4][9] She has also received awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion's Emerging Young Entertainers Award, and the Redlands Bowl Competition. Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Achievement Award January 21, 2014, given by Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

Philanthropy

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In 2010 Blue was a featured soloist on the Madrileños por Haití concert with the Orquesta Clásica de España in Madrid, Spain. The concert was dedicated to raising funds for housing projects for Haitians who have relocated to the Dominican Republic.[6][21]

In March 2014 Blue took part in the annual AIDS Gala in Düsseldorf, Germany. The gala raised €142,000 to help those affected by AIDS and HIV in both Germany and South Africa.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Angel Blue". GRAMMY.com. February 9, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  2. ^ "Plácido Domingo Festival". Plácido Domingo Festival. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  3. ^ Winer, Laurie (April 6, 2008). "Soaring Soprano". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "UCLA music student Angel Blue–rising young star at L.A. Opera. L.A. Times article April 6, 2008 | music @ UCLA". Music.ucla.edu. Archived from the original on October 3, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  5. ^ Paulette Brown-Hinds; Cheryl Brown (February 11, 2010). "Angel Blue, Returns to Area, Smashing Success with Philharmonic". Black Voice News. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Francisco Salazar (February 6, 2017). "Artist of the Week: Discovering the Art of Angel Joy Blue". OperaWire. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  7. ^ "Our Titleholders at Miss California", misshollywood.com
  8. ^ "current and former titleholders". Miss Hollywood Scholarship Pageant. Southern California Scholarship Association. Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2009.
  9. ^ a b "Russians take top prizes at Domingo's Operalia contest". Los Angeles Times. August 6, 2009. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  10. ^ "WE Lead – The Women's Conference". Californiawomen.org. October 26, 2008. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  11. ^ Molleson, Kate (September 2013). "American Lulu- Review". The Guardian.
  12. ^ Ashley, Tim (April 30, 2013). "La Bohème Review". The Guardian.
  13. ^ Jeal, Erica (October 30, 2014). "La Bohème Review". The Guardian.
  14. ^ "How the women in Melvyn Bragg's life have haunted his conscience but helped him with the dark times". belfasttelegraph.co.uk. July 16, 2015.
  15. ^ "In Tune: Angel Blue, Mariam Batsashvili". bbc.co.uk.
  16. ^ "Star guests, spectacular Proms and festive music in the BBC classical line-up for Christmas". bbc.co.uk.
  17. ^ "Cardiff Singer of the World". bbc.co.uk.
  18. ^ James R. Oestreich (October 3, 2017). "Review: La bohème at the Met Is Grand, Reviled and Beloved". The New York Times. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  19. ^ "Soprano Angel Blue charms Last Night of the Proms audience". bbc.co.uk. September 14, 2024.
  20. ^ "Soprano Angel Blue charms Last Night of the Proms audience". bbc.co.uk. September 14, 2024.
  21. ^ "Concierto Solidario Madrileños por Haití", Fiestas del 2 de Mayo (2010), madrid.org
[edit]
Preceded by
Jillian Hallman
 Miss Hollywood
2005 		Succeeded by
Amy Yetasook
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