(Credit: Virginia Opera)

Tosca is the ultimate diva role. It’s the role most sopranos dream of singing because of its demands both as a singer and actress. This week the Virginia Opera will see rising star Ewa Plonka make her company debut in her very first “Tosca” performances.

Plonka, a prize winner of such prestigious competitions as the Marcello Giordani International Vocal Competition, Gerda Lissner Foundation Vocal Competition, Licia Albanese Puccini Foundation Competition and Giulio Gari Vocal Competition, has made an accomplished career singing both in the spinto and dramatic mezzo-soprano repertoire. She has received rave reviews with critics noting she has a “warm voice” and is “electrifying” and “blazing” in her performances.

After singing a number of mezzo roles such as Azucena in “Il Trovatore,” Giovanna Seymour in “Anna Bolena” and Maddalena in “Rigoletto,” the soprano will finally get to step into the diva role and have the spotlight.  Not only will it be her first “Tosca” but it will also be her first major role in the United States, introducing herself as a soprano after having performed in major venues as Carnegie Hall and Dallas Opera with mezzo arias. Besides “Tosca,” the soprano will also sing her first “Turandot,” making it a breakout season for Plonka.

She is also set for some performances at the Dallas Opera and Canadian Opera Company.

Recordings

While Plonka does not have any recordings there are number of videos of her in performance.

Here she is performing from “Adriana Lecouvreur…”

…and here she is performing from “Anna Bolena.”