Louisa Jonason
Singer
Performance of An Opera

Louisa Jonason as Norina in Don Pasquale at the American Opera Center at the Juilliard School.

Louisa Jonason made her New York debut as Norina in Don Pasquale, directed by Gian Carlo Menotti for Juilliard’s American Opera Center. This was followed by her New York City Opera debut in the title role of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, a role that would become her signature role with over 300 performances worldwide.

While at The New York City Opera, Ms. Jonason performed numerous roles over the next ten years including Liú in Turandot, Mimì in La Bohème, both Margarita and Elena in Tito Capobianca’s production of Mefistofele, and Micaela in the Corsaro production of Carmen. Ms. Jonason’s European debut came as Vitellia in La Clemenza di Tito at L’Opera de Nice.

Other international debuts include Nedda in I Pagliacci at the National Theater in Taiwan and Madama Butterfly in Caracas, Venezuela and Hamilton, Canada. Ms. Jonason also sang Queen Isabella for the North American premiere of Darius Milhaud’s Christopher Columbus with Madame Milhaud in attendance. She also created the role of the Queen in the world premiere of Seymour Barab’s Sleeping Beauty.

Ms. Jonason has performed such diverse roles as Norma with the New York City Opera, Elisabetta in Don Carlo with the Dallas Opera, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with the Illinois State Opera, Leonora in Il Trovatore with the Florida Grand Opera, and Nedda in I Pagliacci and Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana with the New Orleans Opera.

Ms. Jonason received her B.A. in Music from Moorhead State University in Minnesota, which she attended on a full accompanying scholarship. She then attended the Juilliard School on a full scholarship plus stipend and was a member of The American Opera Center. She was granted a teaching assistantship in opera production at Brooklyn College where she got her M.M. in voice performance.

Ms. Jonason is equally at home in recital repertoire. She has sung solo recitals in Alice Tully Hall and Weill Recital Hall. Oratorio performances include the soprano soloist in Verdi’s Requiem at Carnegie Hall and soprano soloist in The Messiah and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in Japan.

NYO Butterfly

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Alice Tully

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Cardinal John O'Connor

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Anton Coppala

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US Weekly

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Christian Steiner Headshot

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