Mezzo sopranoPatrizia Conte is internationally renowned for her combination of vocal beauty,
superb musicianship and commanding stage presence, making her a much
sought-after opera, concert and oratorio artist. Willa Conrad of the Newark Star
Ledger writes: "The most
compelling voice of the evening was Patrizia Conte's".
A native of
Long Island, New York, the mezzo soprano began piano studies at the age of
four, training as a concert pianist until her singing gifts were revealed at
age sixteen. She studied at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia and received
her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Southern Methodist University in
Dallas. Her Miami debut as Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana garnered great acclaim: "A
beautiful and powerful dramatic voice and a superb actress".
Upon seeing her portrayal in 2004, the late Maestro Alfredo Silipigni of
the New Jersey State Opera declared hers the finest he had ever heard.
Ms. Conte has
appeared at L'Opera de Montreal, the Dallas Opera, Dallas Symphony, Fort Worth
Opera, New Jersey State Opera, Opera Pan Americana de Miami, Annapolis Opera,
Opera Delaware, Opera Omaha to name a few.She sang under the baton of renowned conductors Robert Shaw, Nicola
Rescigno, Joseph Rescigno, Alfredo Silipigni, Rudolf Kruger and Cristofer
Macatsoris and collaborated with esteemed directors as Carlisle Floyd and
Bernard Uzan.
In her Town
Hall, New York appearance she was described as: "a voice of velvet". The mezzo soprano was a finalist in
the San Francisco and the Chicago Lyric Opera Auditions, the Concorso per Le
Voci Verdiane in Busseto, Italy, and the Concorso Lirico in Parma, Italy. Ms.
Conte was a protege of the late Metropolitan Opera soprano Beverly Bower. The
late Jerome Hines acclaimed hers as a "Stignani" voice. Paul Somers of
Classical NJ have been rhapsodic over her "glorious, cello-like tones" we have
not heard (Messiah role)
sung with more beauty, warmth and joyousness". Dr. Decosta
Dawson of the Essex Chorale has
described her artistry as: "She is
prepared the way a conductor dreams a singer would be prepared."
Ms. Conte's comic
flair delighted audiences in New York as the Marquise in La Fille duRegiment, while her remarkable characterizations
of the contrasting Countess di Coigny and Madelon in Andrea Chenierat the New Jersey State Operaearned further acclaim from Mr. Somers
of Classical NJ: "Patrizia
Conte established her flexibility...by creating two superb personifications. Her
tones are queen-sized in vitality or dark and velvety as suggested by the
text. The mezzo soprano's compass is rich and entirely even from top to
bottom."
The mezzo
soprano's debut with L'Opera de Montreal in Carlisle Floyd's Susannah earned Carlyle Floyd's
personal praise ("Great!") for her powerful
interpretation of Mrs. McLean. The debut was followed with the role of
the Mother in Menotti's The
Consul, resulting in Montreal''s La Presse hailing her "rich,
profound, remarkably placed mezzo soprano".She was engaged by the Florida Grand
Opera and L'Opera de Montreal to appear as Kabanicha in Janacek's Katya Kabanovawith Stewart
Robertson conducting, as well as Marta in Boito'sMefistofele.
As featured
soloist the mezzo soprano has appeared in the Bach Mass in b MinorandOesteroratorium;
Handel MessiahandIsrael in Egypt, Mendelssohn
Elijah, Verdi Messa da Requiem, Michael Haydn
Requiem, Mozart Requiem, Rossini Petite Messe Solonnelle and
many other works with the Oratorio Singers of Westfield, the Morris Choral
Society, the Bablyon Chorale and the Essex Chorale
Cavalleria Rusticana with the Annapolis Opera and Juno/ Ino in Handel's Semele with the Baroque
Orchestra of New Jersey, conducted by Maestro Ronald J. Gretz and Maestro
Robert Butts respectively, served as the mezzo soprano's recent debuts, both of
which were met with wildly enthusiastic acclaim. Ms. Conte scored a
triumphant return to the Baroque as the plaintive Cornelia in
Giulio Cesare:"Patrizia Conte's Cornelia set the quality standard
for the performance. The depth of her emotional artistry in the lamenting 'Priva son' left this reviewer in tears."(Peter
Stevens, The Alternative Press).
