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The American lyric soprano, Barbara Rondelli-van der Merwe, had a noteworthy international career in both concert and opera before settling in Northwest Ohio, where she continues her career as Professor of Voice at the University of Toledo. Barbara is a graduate of Pittsburgh State University, and the Royal Academy of Music in London, where as a Fulbright Scholar she was a student of Dame Eva Turner.
Barbara Rondelli has performed 50 major operatic roles, and almost as many oratorio roles on three continents in a dozen different countries, appearing with major opera companies, TV, and radio stations across the world. Several of her recordings were issued in Germany as well as in the USA by the Musical Heritage Society. She is soprano soloist on a CD from Hänssler Classic "Die Bach Kantate, Vol. 18". Her major appearances in the USA have been as Cio-Cio-San, the title role in Puccini's Madama Butterfly with the New York City Opera, and the Honolulu Opera, and as the soprano soloist in J.S. Bach's St. John (BWV 245) and St. Matthew Passions (BWV 244) , and the Mass in B minor (BWV 232) (on tour with Helmuth Rilling) in Carnegie Hall and other major American concert halls.
Barbara Rondelli has been showered with many awards in such famous competitions as the International Tschaikowsky Competition, and the International Bavarian Radio Competition in Munich. Her vast repertoire includes music spanning the Renaissance to the most avant-garde. Most recently, Barbara was chosen for the "Meretorious Achievement Award" from Pittsburgh State University, which will be conferred on May 13th of this year. |
