Alison Buchanan, soprano

Renowned and respected throughout Europe and America, British soprano Alison Buchanan has built a strong career on both sides of the Atlantic in repertoire ranging from baroque to contemporary styles. Her recent successes have included a critically acclaimed Bess in Porgy and Bess in her debut for New York City Opera in the 2003-2004 Season, returning to the company to sing Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni. This season she revives the role of Bess for Delaware Opera and will sing the Role of Nedda (I Pagliacci) for English Touring Opera.

A graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia Alison is the winner of the Maggie Teyte Competition giving a winner's concert recital at the Royal Opera House, The Pavarotti Competition and the Kathleen Ferrier Competition, the Washington International Competition and she was a finalist in the Belvedere Competition in 1997. Alison made her American opera debut at San Francisco Opera in 1996 as Mimě in La Bohčme, returning in 1997 as Micaela in Carmen. Alison came to international attention when she teamed up with Plácido Domingo and Franco Zeffirelli, covering the role of Nedda in I Pagliacci for Los Angeles Opera.

Alison has worked for many opera houses including Opera Company of Philadelphia, Holland Park Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Pegasus Opera and Michigan Opera. Buchanan sang Elvira (Don Giovanni) for the Haydn Chamber Orchestra in London conducted by Sir Colin Davis who then invited her to sing Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, performed on tour throughout Europe with the European Youth Orchestra and later with the Bayerischer Rundfunk in Munich. Last season she joined Sir Colin and the London Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britten.

Other highlights of her busy concert schedule include Gershwin evenings with pianist Clive Lythgoe, standing in at the last minute to replace Monserratt Caballe in a Proms concert in London. Strauss' Vier Letzte Lieder with the Oakland-East Bay Symphony and Camilla Symphony in California, concerts and broadcasts throughout the UK with the BBC Concert Orchestra, a Mozart Evening with the Belgian Chamber Orchestra, Proms concerts with the London Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Next Season the soprano looks forward to singing Poulenc's Gloria with the Jacksonville Symphony, a Strauss concert with the Philippines Symphony Orchestra and a Carnegie Hall recital with the Ritz Chamber Players.