Ana Paula Russo

Lisbon, Portugal
Classical singing
Biography
She was born in Beja (Portugal) and completed the Course of Singing in the National Conservatory in Lisbon. She studied in Salzburg and Lucerne with Elisabeth Grummer and H. Diez and worked with Gino Becchi, C. Thiolass, Regine Resnick and Marimi del Pozo. She has a Master degree in Singing (High School of Music in Lisbon).
As a soloist she has performed in numerous concerts of “Lied”, Opera and Oratory, both in her country and abroad. We can point out works for the Fund Gulbenkian, RTP, RDP, the Europalia-91 (Brussels), Lisbon 94 – Capital of Culture and participation in several music festivals such as Capuchos, Leiria, Estoril, Algarve, P. de Varzim, F. da Foz, the Macau International Festival and Temporada de Música dos Açores. Many concerts and recitals stand out such as “The Book of the Hanging Gardens” by A. Schönberg, “Les Noces” by Stravinsky “Les Illuminations” by Britten, the Cantata op.29 by Webern, works of A. Chagas Rosa, the “Carmina Burana” by Orff and operettas “Monsieur Choufleuri …” and “Bataclan” and others byOffenbach.
In 1988 she won the 1st prize in the Portuguese Musical Youth Competition and Olga Violante, the same year in Barcelona she was a finalist in the F. Viñas contest. In 1990 she was co-winner in the International Competition of Oviedo and “Luisa Todi”. In 1989 she represented Portugal (RTP), the “Cardiff Singer of the World.”
She recorded a CD of Christmas songs for voice and guitar and a program of musical works related to the Ajuda Palace. In 1996 she was the soprano soloist in the CD “Matutino dei Morti” J. D. Bomtempo. In 1999, she joined the cast that recorded the opera of M. Portugal “Le Donne Cambiate” in the role of “Countess Ernesta”(Naxos/Marco Polo).
In Macau Festival 1992 she sang with great success, the role of “Rosina” in “The Barber of Seville” by Rossini. Her career has had a strong focus within the opera and we can refer roles such as “Oscar” (“The Masked Ball”), “Marie” (“The Daughter of the Regiment”), “Ninette” ( “The Love for Three Oranges”), “Musetta” (“La Bohéme”), “Adele” (“The Bat”), “Clorinda” (“La Cenerentola”), “Countess Ernesta” (“Le Donne Cambiate”) “Hanna” (“The Merry Widow”), “Najade” (“Ariadne auf Naxos”), “Cunegonde” (“Candide”), “Vespetta” (“Pimpinone”), “Eurydice” (“Orpheus in Hell” ), “Nightingale” (namesake opera by Stravinsky), the title role in “The English Cat ” (Henze), among many others.
In April ’98 she sang in the world premiere of the opera “Dias Levantados” by A. Pinho Vargas, later recorded on CD for EMI. She was chosen to play one of the main roles in the opera “White Raven” by Philip Glass, brought to life at Expo ’98 and also in Teatro Real in Madrid, and in July 2001, in the New York State Theater (Lincoln Center – New York).
In 2004, the 10th anniversary of the composer’s death, she sang the soprano soloist in the Requiem by Fernando Lopes-Graça, recently released on cd.
In 2006 she recorded a CD of Latin American compositions for voice and guitar with the title of “Melodia Sentimental”.
In 2009 she recorded a CD of arias and duets sung by the famous XVIIIth century singer Luísa Todi. And also recorded the “Missa Grande” (“Great Mass”) by Marcos Portugal.
In 2011 she sang in the world premiere of the opera “The Mad Queen” by Alexander Delgado (recently released in CD and DVD) and in March 2012 she sang the modern premiere of the opera “O Basculho de chaminé” by Marcos Portugal”
She is a Singing teacher in the School of Music at the National Conservatory and is invited teacher in several Masterclasses. She is the President of the Jury in CIMCA Competition as well as the CIMTS Competition.