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Joyce DiDonato: The Wheelchair-Mezzo releases "Colbran, the Muse"

  Tobias

DiDonato, the sixth child in an Irish-American family, was born in 1969 in Kansas. She combines a talent for technical control with a sense of wild joy, and says her collection of Rossini arias has been a dream for her. To oyce DiDonato, "Colbran, the Muse" demonstrates the surprising range of Rossini's compositions; inspired by his wife, Isabella Colbran, Rossini wrote nine roles for her, which, as DiDonato claims, means that "Colbran, the Muse" will afford insight into a muse's inspiration for a composer, and that Isabella "ignited incredibly creative forces in him."

Her clear diction, control, and phrasing, according to "The Times," enhance the diversity of Dionato's emotional colouring—she brings her characters to life and makes each individual.

Joyce DiDonato is known for her interpretations of the works of Mozart, Handel, and Rossini. She also has gained admiration for her professionalism and toughness—the Los Angeles Times noted that during her London performance of Rossini’s "The Barber of Seville" in July 2009, she tripped onstage and broke her leg. Rather than request an understudy, DiDonato hobbled through the first Act and reappeared for Act 2 on a crutch. She was lauded by the media for completing the run with her leg in a cast, singing Rossini’s ingénue from a wheelchair.

Imnage by Sheila Rock,courtesy of Virgin Classics © 2010

Homepage: Joyce DiDonato
Homepage: Virgin Classics