30 Fun Facts About Soprano Nadine Sierra

By David Salazar

Nadine Sierra is enjoying one of the most spectacular careers in the opera world.

On this day, May 14, 2018, she turns 30, already having managed a historic career by modern standards. So in celebration of the big 3-0 we look at 30 fun facts on Sierra.

1. She is a native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

2. Sierra trained at the Mannes College of Music and Marilyn Horne’s Music Academy of the West.

3. She was the youngest person to ever receive the Marilyn Horne Foundation Award,

4. She became a Young Artist with the Palm Beach Opera at age 14.

5. At 15 she sang on NPR’s “From the Top.”

6. She made her opera debut at 16 in “Hansel and Gretel,” playing the Sandman.

7. In 2009, she appeared at the United States Supreme Court Building to perform alongside Thomas Hampson in the Justices Chambers.

8. Also in 2009, Sierra won the third prize at the Licia Albanese-Puccini International Competition.

9. She competed in the Mirjam Helin International Competition and finished second.

10. At age 21 she became the youngest winner of the Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions.

11. She won first prize at the George London Competition in 2010.

12. That same year she also won the first prize in the Gerda Lissner Foundation International Competition.

13. Also in 2010, Sierra was given the top prize at the Loren L. Zachary Society Vocal Competition.

14. And to complete the quartet of distinction, she was awarded a Richard Tucker Foundation Study Grant in 2010 as well.

15. Sierra is featured in the book “Driven: Six Incredible Musical Journeys” by Nick Romeo.

16. She made her San Francisco Opera debut in 2011 in the company premiere of “Heart of a Soldier.”

17. The soprano won the audience prize at the Stella Maris International Music Competition in 2011.

18. In 2013, she won the first prize and people’s choice award at the Neue Stimmen, Gütersloh in Germany.

19. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2015 as Gilda in “Rigoletto.”

20. She appeared as part of the Met’s Live in HD series in “Idomeneo” in 2017.

21. She starred alongside two other Latinas, Ailyn Pérez and Isabel Leonard in “Le Nozze di Figaro” in December 2017; they dubbed themselves “Las Amigas.”

22. In 2017 she was named the Richard Tucker Award winner.

23. At the gala that following winter, she performed music from “La Traviata,” “West Side Story,” and “Rigoletto.”

24. “Sempre Libera” from “La Traviata” was the first time she ever sang any music from the Verdi opera.

25. She was named the 2018 Beverly Sills Award winner.

26. She appears on recording of “Rigoletto,” alongside Dmitri Hvorostovsky. That recording was Hvorostovsky’s final studio recording before his untimely death in 2017.

27. She has a recording contract with Universal Music Group.

28. She has a popular online video series called “Notes From Nadine” in which she provides insight on her career.

29. She currently resides in New York.

30. Her Instagram handle is @nadine.sierra.

 

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