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 | | |  | | Kimball Wheeler |
| | | Mezzo-soprano Kimball Wheeler has pursued an unusually rich and varied international career since making her 1982 New York Philharmonic debut under the direction of Zubin Mehta. She sang world premieres at the Rome Opera and Venices’ Teatro La Fenice and the Monteverdi?Berio Orfec at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino before moving to Switzerland to accept an engagement with the Basel Opera, performing Tristan and Isolde (Brangaena) Salome (Herodias) and Wozzeck (Margret). She repeated these roles in France and Germany, along with Das Rheingold (Fricka) and Hérodiade (title role). In Melbourne, she sang Lohengrin (Ortrud) and Aïda (Amneris), and in Sydney, Lulu (Countess Geschwitz). Ms. Wheeler has sung with major orchestras in Vienna, Madrid, Zürich, Düsseldorf, Lyons, Hong Kong, in the Czech Republic, Mexico, the U.S., Australia, and Israel. Other appearances have included Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Los Angeles Music Center, Marlboro, and numerous festivals throughout Europe.
Active in the field of contemporary music, Ms. Wheeler has collaborated with composers Adams, Berio, Druckman, Reich, Knussen, Foss, Glass, Rorern and Rzewski, among many others, and has premiered and recorded innumerable works written for her. A frequent recitalist, she won the Pro Musicis Award in 1984 which presented her solo recitals in major cities throughout the U.S. and in Paris. In 1988, she won the Liederdranz Award for Wagnerian singers. Ms. Wheeler holds degrees from Bennington College (BA) and California Institute of the Arts (MFA) where she is currently a faculty member and teaches voice. She also did additional studies at the Brussels Conservatory, Tanglewood, and Aspen, where she later returned as an artist/faculty member. In 1996 Ms. Wheeler made her film debut, singing and appearing in L’Ultimo Bersaglio, written and directed by Andrea Frezza, shot in Venice, Italy and starring Giancarlo Giannini. She returned to Europe last season for Verdi Requiems in Germany, Dvorák Requiems in Zurich, a recital of American songs in Cologne for German radio, Messiahs in Spain, and two new CD’s. She recently recorded a CD?ROM “Nightmare Ned” for Disney Interactive. |
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