DANIELLE TALAMANTES
SOPRANO
BIOGRAPHY
“It’s not often that a fortunate operagoer witnesses the birth of a star!,” critics hailed for Danielle Talamantes’ recent role début as Violetta in La traviata, a role she performed again in her Hawaii Opera Theatre début.
This season’s engagements include Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 with the National Philharmonic, Verdi’s Requiem with both the Pensacola Symphony and North Carolina Master Chorale, the soprano soloist in Britten’s War Requiem with Opera Roanoke, as well as concerts with Lyric Fest, The United States Naval Academy, Choralis, the Artist Series of Sarasota (with her husband Kerry Wilkerson), and the Music Center at Strathmore. Last season, Talamantes made her Washington National Opera début as Maria Hernández in Kamala Sankaram’s Rise as part of their production Written in Stone, and recorded Mosaic for Earth at Virginia Tech. She performed Henry Dehlinger’s Kohelet for the Washington Master Chorale and the Santa Clara Chorale, Mimi in La bohéme for Jackson Symphony, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony for Fairfax Symphony, and the Artpark concert series with the Buffalo Philharmonic. [read more...]
CRITICAL ACCLAIM
"...a huge voice that carried easily..." – Washington Post
Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass – “Soprano Danielle Talamantes did most of the heavy lifting in the Haydn and, even with a huge voice that carried easily over the chorus and orchestra, handled the coloratura cleanly.”
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"...sang exquisitely..." – Baltimore Sun
Mendelssohn's Elijah – “Among the soloists, soprano Danielle Talamantes sang exquisitely, savoring the elegant curve of Mendelssohn’s melodic lines.”
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"...a perfect diminuendo al niente..." – New York Concert Review
Chilcott’s Requiem – “Soprano Danielle Talamantes and tenor Christian Reinert were revelations as well in their refined and emotionally powerful performances. The last measures of the Lux aeterna, featuring a soft ascending figure in the upper register, were sung by soprano Danielle Talamantes with a perfect diminuendo al niente, or to complete silence, and a child-like innocence that was exquisitely controlled and crystalline in its clarity. It was as if an angel were ascending into the heavens – a simple, but stunning effect.”
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"...completely commanded the stage..." – The Independent
La traviata – “From her strong opening notes to a final dying outburst, she completely commanded the stage, with body language, facial expressions, and the tiniest hand gestures to complement her virtuoso vocal character portrayal. Never overly histrionic like some famous divas, she conveyed her feeling with exquisite restraint but great visceral impact. It’s a rare quality, and will assuredly earn her international acclaim.”
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"...controlled her voluminous voice with ease..." – The Washington Post
Fairfax Symphony 60th Anniversary Concert – “Talamantes sang with an athletic vibrato and controlled her voluminous voice with ease. She projected just the right amount of sound and emotions in her long phrases, shaping them sensibly and naturally.”