Erin Wall

Erin Wall (born 4 November 1975 Calgary, Alberta to American parents) is a Canadian operatic soprano. She studied at the Vancouver Academy of Music, Western Washington University, Rice University and Music Academy of the West and was a finalist at the Cardiff Singer of the World competition in Wales in 2003, a competition where 951 singers from 56 nations applied and 483 were offered auditions, and in which she sang in the group of five finalists: "... no doubt she was cheered to hear the leading scream of 'Bravoooooo!' [sic] from the unmistakable voice of Matthew Epstein ... artistic director of Chicago Lyric Opera." In July 2002 she made her international debut in London with a performance in the War Requiem of Benjamin Britten. Following graduation from the Lyric Opera of Chicago's Lyric Opera Center for American Artists, she was engaged for three seasons with the company. Making a significant impression as the understudy for Karita Mattila, she appeared in Chicago on opening night in September 2004 as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, filling in for Karita Mattila. Mark Thomas Ketterson of Opera News said "(she) sang gloriously..defiantly launching her voluminous soprano through the fabric of the ensembles and coursing through the coloratura with precision and verve. …..This was as beautifully vocalized a Donna Anna as one is likely to encounter today". Opera Today expressed similar enthusiasm. Other roles have included Gerhilde in Die Walküre, the Flowermaiden in Parsifal, Marguerite in Faust and Freia in Das Rheingold while, in March 2006, she sang Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte. At the 2006 Mostly Mozart Festival in New York she caught the attention of Alex Ross who noted that "Erin Wall, a young Canadian, sang "Bella mia fiamma … Resta, o cara" (Mozart) with grace and fire, showing the sort of righteous rage that would make for a great Donna Anna. I hope someone from the Met was taking notes". Internationally, she has appeared in Paris, Aix-en-Provence and Vienna. During the 2007 summer festival season of the Santa Fe Opera she sang the role of Daphne in Richard Strauss' Daphne: "Erin Wall took on the leading role, a perilous undertaking for a soprano still early in her career, but she displayed an impressive command of Strauss's taxing music". This was followed by the role of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at the Washington National Opera in late October/November 2007: "Erin Wall was a sympathetic Donna Anna who fleshed out the character with a truly noble bearing and filled out the melodic lines with a combination of steel and sweetness. Sure coloratura and incisive phrasing (including hairpin shifts of dynamics) completed the impressive vocal package." On 13 April 2009, Erin Wall made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni to critical acclaim.On 24 July 2011, Erin Wall sang along with legendary baritone Ruggero Raimondi at the opening of the Gran Teatro Nacional, in Lima, Peru.