BIOGRAPHY

CASSANDRA RIDDLE
SOPRANO

Mario Lanza Film

Cassandra Riddle has been named by Opera News as someone to “Keep Your Eye On”. She won national acclaim for her portrayal as Mimi in LA BOHEME, which was nationally telebroadcast on PBS’s “Live from Lincoln Center”. She was awarded an Emmy for that performance. Cassandra’s soprano has been described by a Philadelphia paper as “ a voice to fall in love with.” The New York Times noted in discussing her debut with the New York City Opera in Puccini’s LA BOHEME: “Her voice is essentially a lyric soprano with a warm, rich color.” The review praised her “sympathetic portrayal,” and declared her “a winning Mimi.” And the (Bergen) Record began its assessment of the same performance by declaring: “The New York City Opera has elevated it’s already fine production of LA BOHEME to new heights with the casting of Cassandra Riddle as Mimi…this role not only requires a soprano with extraordinary vocal capacities, but we’ve got to feel as if she’s touching our heart and soul, a feat that Riddle certainly achieved.”

Mimi has become somewhat of a signature role for Ms. Riddle. She recently performed a “superb Mimi…whose voice blossoms into a refulgent soprano of great beauty. This is consummate physical and vocal acting wedded to a glorious instrument”, for Portland Opera. She opened the 2000-2001 season for the Grand Theatre de Geneve with a resounding triumph in the title role of BEATRIX CENCI, “a Beatrix of sovereign radiance and purity”. The Tribune de Geneve heralded: “The young American soprano accomplishes a veritable feat of tonal accuracy and vocal intensity. As good an actress as she is a singer, she creates a character who remains solidly balanced while teetering on the edge. Alternating between the fragility of the ridiculed girl and the revolt of the outraged woman, she moves towards her destiny, shouldering her fear of death with a magnificent humanity.” She followed this with another appearance at the Hamburg Stadtsoper as Violetta in LA TRAVIATA. In the spring of 2000, she debuted in Hamburg as Nedda in I PAGLIACCI and performed in a “Concert Extravaganza of Opera Stars” at the Philadelphia Academy of Music. In February of 2000, Ms. Riddle made her European opera debut at Il Teatro Comunale in Bologna, Italy, as Melisande in PELLEAS ET MELISANDE. There she worked with the innovative and renowned director, Pier’Alli. The previous fall she appeared as Opera Pacific’s Violetta. Earlier that fall she performed a “sensual and hot-coals” Nedda for the Lyric Opera of Kansas and made her first recording for a movie based on the life of Mario Lanza, which has not yet been released. She returned to New York City Opera as Donna Elvira in DON GIOVANNI. Just prior she was described as an “excitingly radiant” Nedda in Opera Pacific’s I PAGLIACCI and the Soprano Soloist in their CARMINA BURANA. Other recent appearances have included Liu in Michigan Opera Theater’s TURANDOT, and Micaela in CARMEN, Mimi in LA BOHEME, and Antonia in LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN with the New York City Opera. She is also a featured recitalist across the United States.

Ms. Riddle studied and received an Artist Diploma at Philadelphia’s prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts where she performed a diverse repertoire including such roles as Konstanze in Mozart’s DIE ENTFUHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL, Donna Elvira in Mozart’s DON GIOVANNI and Cio-Cio San in Puccini’s MADAMA BUTTERFLY. She has extensive training and experience in theater and dance as well. She has studied dance with such companies as the Martha Graham Summer Workshop Series in SC and the Jose Limon Institute while in NYC. Cassandra completed two seasons at the Trapeze School of New York City, and is an avid Rock and Ice Climber. She received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Degrees in Vocal Perfomance from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. For one year, she taught vocal pedagogy as part of a work-study at Winthrop University and has taught privately in New York City and Portland, OR. This past summer, she taught at the Portland Conservatory of Music Summer Intensive Camp.