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    • Make Your Own
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    • Make Your Own
    • MEDIA
    • Make Your Own
    • ABOUT
    • DEUTSCH
    • ENTREPRENUERSHIP AND ADVOCACY
    • PODCASTS
    • PHOTOS
    • PHOTOS
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    • CONTACT
    • SOCIAL MEDIA
    • …  
      • Make Your Own
      • SCHEDULE
      • SCHEDULE
      • Make Your Own
      • MEDIA
      • Make Your Own
      • ABOUT
      • DEUTSCH
      • ENTREPRENUERSHIP AND ADVOCACY
      • PODCASTS
      • PHOTOS
      • PHOTOS
      • PHOTOS
      • CONTACT
      • SOCIAL MEDIA
      • Make Your Own
      • SCHEDULE
      • SCHEDULE
      • Make Your Own
      • MEDIA
      • Make Your Own
      • ABOUT
      • DEUTSCH
      • ENTREPRENUERSHIP AND ADVOCACY
      • PODCASTS
      • PHOTOS
      • PHOTOS
      • PHOTOS
      • CONTACT
      • SOCIAL MEDIA
      • …  
        • Make Your Own
        • SCHEDULE
        • SCHEDULE
        • Make Your Own
        • MEDIA
        • Make Your Own
        • ABOUT
        • DEUTSCH
        • ENTREPRENUERSHIP AND ADVOCACY
        • PODCASTS
        • PHOTOS
        • PHOTOS
        • PHOTOS
        • CONTACT
        • SOCIAL MEDIA
      • Make Your Own
      • SCHEDULE
      • SCHEDULE
      • Make Your Own
      • MEDIA
      • Make Your Own
      • ABOUT
      • DEUTSCH
      • ENTREPRENUERSHIP AND ADVOCACY
      • PODCASTS
      • PHOTOS
      • PHOTOS
      • PHOTOS
      • CONTACT
      • SOCIAL MEDIA
        • Schedule

          Upcoming Engagements

          Soprano Soloist, Missa Solemnis

          Ludwig van Beethoven

          April 8th, 9th, & 10th, 2022

          Conductor: John DeMain

          https://madisonsymphony.org/event/missa-solemnis/

        • Past Engagements

          Nedda, Pagliacci (semi-staged)

          Ruggero Leoncavallo

          2019

          Conductor: Steven White

          Die erste Dienerin, Die ägyptische Helena (concert)

          Richard Strauss

          2019

          Conductor: Gil Rose

          Helen, Howard's End America (world premiere)

          Composed by Allen Shearer on a libretto by Claudia Stevens

          2019

          Conductor: Mary Chun

          Director: Philip Lowery

          Lauretta, Gianni Schicchi and Buoso’s Ghost 

          Giacomo Puccini and Michael Ching

          2018

          Conductor: Michael Ching

          Director: A. Scott Parry

          Lauretta, Gianni Schicchi and Buoso’s Ghost

          Giacomo Puccini and Michael Ching

          2018

          Conductor: Michael Ching

          Director: A. Scott Parry

        • “...alluring...piercing beauty.”

          -San Francisco Chronicle 

          "...clarion-voiced"

          -San Francisco Examiner

           

        • Media

        • “Her high notes rang out with ease at the swelling climaxes in both her first act aria and in her love duet with Silvio.”

          - Roanoke Times

          "Dynamic and expressive, Duchovnay sang with warmth and luster...she moved with elan, thus matching her vocal vibrancy”

          - OperaWire

        • About

          The San Francisco Examiner hails American soprano Sara Duchovnay as “clarion voiced” and OperaWire describes her as “dynamic and expressive”, further adding that she “sang with warmth and luster” and “moved with elan, thus matching her vocal vibrancy”. Of her 2019 role debut as Nedda in Pagliacci with Opera Roanoke, the Roanoke Times praised her “nuanced portrait of an unhappy woman” and “her high notes [which] rang out with ease at the swelling climaxes in both her first act aria and in her love duet with Silvio.” Other recent performances include the role of Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi with Opera Delaware, and Die erste Dienerin in Die ägyptische Helena with Odyssey Opera.

           

          Other roles currently in Sara’s repertoire include Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Alcina (Alcina), and Nedda (Pagliacci), as well as Musetta (La bohème), Susannah (Susannah), and Arabella (Arabella). Sara feels a strong connection to these characters and feels compelled to tell the stories of these complex women in an authentic way that honors their struggles and helps the audience process their own lives and the world around them. Early in her career, notable credits included Zerlina in Don Giovanni with Opera Santa Barbara; Nanetta in Falstaff and Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire with Opera San Jose; Jemmy in Guillaume Tell and Blondchen in Die Entführung aus dem Serail with the Southern Illinois Music Festival; and Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro and Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos with Pacific Opera Project. While these roles ceased to fit her voice as she came into herself as a woman and performer, they provided valuable experience that continues to inform her performances today. Through these roles, Sara learned active stagecraft, character work, comedic timing, and how to work with her colleagues as part of a cohesive ensemble.

           

          A sought after interpreter of contemporary opera, Sara originated the role of Dorothea in Allen Shearer and Claudia Stevens’ opera Middlemarch in Spring with Composers Inc., and also reprised the role of Dorothea with Charlottesville Opera. Shearer and Stevens once again called upon Sara to originate the role of Helen in the world premiere of their opera, Howard's End, America in 2019 with Earplay Ensemble. Sara has also performed the roles of Soprano 1 in Philip Glass and Allen Ginsberg’s Hydrogen Jukebox with West Edge Opera, Lauretta in Michael Ching’s Buoso’s Ghost with Opera Delaware and Baltimore Concert Opera, and Della in David Conte’s Gift of the Magi with Hidden Valley Opera Ensemble.

           

          Garnering attention for her activism as well, Sara is an ambassador and educational facilitator with One Love Foundation, a nonprofit that teaches young adults about healthy vs. unhealthy relationship behaviors in an effort to end relationship abuse. While singing the role of Nedda, she started an educational initiative to combine this work with opera outreach. She worked closely with the One Love Foundation to tailor the curriculum, and held outreach workshops at local high schools leading up to the production. She looks forward to continuing this important work as she continues to portray characters who are victims of partner violence and relationship abuse.

           

          Sara feels fortunate to lead a very happy life filled with many passions! In 2018, she founded Songbird Sara Jewelry, a jewelry company specializing in vintage and antique diamonds and other fine gems. While traveling for performances and traveling alongside her husband (tenor, Clay Hilley), she is able to source the most beautiful one-of-a-kind pieces for her clients from all over the world. Sara loves travel and adventure, and from 2017-2021, she and Clay lived in a large 5th wheel camper and dragged their home with them to contracts all over the US. During that time, they crossed the United States three complete times! They love animals, and when the pandemic limited their usual travel, they worked with an animal shelter in Georgia and fostered 7 different Pitbulls in their camper. Sara and Clay now happily reside in Berlin, Germany.

           

          Sara holds a Bachelor of Music from the Hartt School of Music and a Master of Music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

           

        • auf Deutsch

          Die amerikanische Sopranistin Sara Duchovnay wird vom San Francisco Examiner für ihre „glockenklare Stimme” gelobt, Opera Wire beschreibt sie als „dynamisch und ausdrucksvoll”. Weiter heißt es, sie singe „mit Wärme und Brillanz“ und „bewegt sich mit einem Elan, der ihrer stimmlichen Lebendigkeit gleichkommt“.

          Die Roanoke Times beschreibt ihr Rollendebut 2019 als Nedda in Pagliacci mit der Opera Roanoke als ein „nuanciertes Portrait einer unglücklichen Frau“ und lobte sie für ihre Höhe, die „mit einer Leichtigkeit bis hin zu den Höhepunkten erklang, sowohl in der Arie im ersten Akt als auch in ihrem Liebesduett mit Silvio.“

           

          Sie war kürzlich unter anderem als Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi mit der Delaware Oper und als Die erste Dienerin in Die ägyptische Helena mit der Odyssey Oper zu sehen.

          Weitere Rollen in Saras Repertoire sind unter anderem Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Alcina (Alcina), and Nedda (Pagliacci), as well as Musetta (La bohème), Susannah (Susannah), and Arabella (Arabella).

           

          Sara fühlt sich diesen Charakteren sehr verbunden und bemüht sich, die Geschichten dieser komplexen Frauen so authentisch wie möglich zu erzählen, um ihren Kämpfen gerecht zu werden. Sie möchte damit dem Publikum ermöglichen, auch die eigenen Probleme so zu verarbeiten.

           

          Zu Beginn ihrer Karriere war sie vor allem für Rollen wie Zerlina in Don Giovanni an der Opera Santa Barbara; Nanetta in Falstaff und Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire mit der Opera San Jose bekannt, sowie als Jemmy in Guillaume Tell und Blondchen in Die Entführung aus dem Serail mit dem Southern Illinois Music Festival; weiter noch als Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro mit dem Pacific Opera Project.

          Obwohl diese Rollen nicht mehr Saras Fach entsprechen, hat sie doch durch sie wertvolle Bühnenerfahrung gesammelt. Während dieser Zeit lernte sie Rollenarbeit, das Timing in Komödien und vor allem als Teil eines Ensembles mit ihren Kollegen zu arbeiten.

           

          Sara ist eine gefragte Darstellerin für zeitgenössische Oper. So sang sie unter anderem die Dorothea in der Uraufführung von Allen Shearers und Claudia Stevens Oper Middlemarch in Spring mit der Composers Inc., die soie später an der Charlotsville Opera wieder aufnahm. Shearer und Stevens engagierten sie 2019 erneut für die Rolle der Helen in der Weltpremiere der Oper Howard's End, America mit dem Earplay Ensemble. Außerdem sang Sara die Rollen Soprano 1 in Philip Glass und Allen Ginsbergs Hydrogen Jukebox an der West Edge Opera, Lauretta in Michael Chings Buoso’s Ghost an der Opera Delaware und der Baltimore Concert Opera, sowie Della in David Contes Gift of the Magi mit dem Hidden Valley Opera Ensemble.

           

          Auch außerhalb der Oper ist Sara aktiv. Sie ist Botschafterin und Bildungsbeauftragte der One Love Foundation, einer Nonprofit-Organisation, die junge Erwachsene über (un)gesunde Beziehungen aufklärt, um so Gewalt in Beziehungen vorzubeugen.

          Während sie die Rolle der Nedda gesungen hat, arbeitete sie an einer Bildungsinitiative, um die Aufklärungsarbeit mit der Opernplattform zu verbinden. In Zusammenarbeit mit der One Love Foundation stellte sie ein Programm zusammen und hielt im Vorfeld der Produktion Workshops an Schulen ab. Sara freut sich darauf, diese wichtige Arbeit fortzuführen, während sie Rollen darstellt, die Opfer von Gewalt in Beziehungen sind.

           

          Privat führt Sara ein glückliches Leben mit vielen Leidenschaften! 2018 gründete sie Songbird Sara Jewelry, ein Schmuckunternehmen, das sich auf auf Vintage und antike Diamanten und andere Edelsteine spezialisiert. Auf ihren Reisen für Engagements oder mit ihrem Ehemann (Clay Hilley, Tenor) findet sie die die schönsten, einzigartige Stücke für ihre Kunden auf der ganzen Welt. Sara liebt Reisen und Abenteuer, von 2017 bis 2021 lebte sie mit ihrem Mann in einem Fifthwheeler und nahm so ihr Zuhause zu Engagements in den ganzen USA mit. So durchquerte sie die USA dreimal! Sara und ihr Mann lieben Tiere und haben während der Pandemie mit einem Tierheim in Georgia zusammengearbeitet und sieben Pittbulls eine Pflegefamilie gegeben.

           

          Sara hat einen Bachelor of Music von der Hartt School of Music sowie den Master of Music vom San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

           

        • Sara is a multi-passionate artist...

          Fine Jewelry and Entrepreneurship

          Fine jewelry and entrepreneurship play a significant role in Sara's life and artistic brand. She is the Founder/CEO of Songbird Sara Jewelry, an online boutique which specializes in antique and vintage diamonds and other fine estate jewelry. The two sides of her career and personal brand work together in perfect harmony. The constant travel of the opera lifestyle allows her to make valuable connections within the jewelry industry and enables her to source jewels from all over the world. Her jewelry clients enjoy a behind the scenes peek into the life of an opera singer while having access to exceptional, one of a kind, thoughtfully curated heirloom pieces. Sara has been absolutely obsessed with antique fine jewelry since she was in her teens, and is honored to add her name to a long list of jewelry obsessed divas. Maria Callas's exquisite (and expensive) taste in fine gems was well known and well documented, and Dame Nellie Melba was such an important client of Cartier, that whenever she gave concerts at Covent Garden, a designated associate from the Cartier London office would deliver jewels directly to her dressing room. She insisted that the cold platinum and diamonds could not touch her skin before going on stage, so her designated jewelry courier would wear all of the jewelry himself so he could deliver them to the diva at the perfect body temperature.

          Visit songbirdsaraantiquejewelry.com

          Advocacy and Education

          Sara is an ambassador and educational facilitator with the One Love Foundation, a nonprofit organization that teaches teens and young adults about healthy vs. unhealthy relationship behaviors in an effort to combat relationship violence and abuse. While singing the role of Nedda in Pagliacci in 2019, she started an educational initiative to combine this work with opera outreach and worked closely with Opera Roanoke and One Love Foundation to tailor the One Love curriculum. Sara worked with over 100 high school students throughout the Roanoke area in the week before rehearsals began, and she looks forward to continuing this important work as she continues to portray characters who are victims of partner violence and relationship abuse.

          Visit JoinOneLove.org
        • Podcasts

          Sara is in high demand as a podcast guest and is called upon to speak as an expert on many different types of podcasts. Topics range from antique jewelry to entrepreneurship to healthy vs. unhealthy relationships and her work with One Love Foundation, and of course to her life as an opera singer. Podcast guesting provides the perfect medium to demonstrate how all of her passions combine! Sara is proud to be an ambassador for opera as an art form and loves having the opportunity to reach a wide audience through other common interests and shared experiences! These podcast opportunities have proved to be a wonderful way to introduce new audiences to opera in a personal and compelling way.

           

          Click on the images below to listen to some of Sara's favorite episodes
        • Photos

        • Contact

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          @songbirdsarajewelry is a fun mix of jewelry, opera, travel, and day in the life updates

        Promotional Photos by Maggie Dunn and Davista Photography © Sara Duchovnay 2021

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