Adanya Dunn via Matrix

Adanya Dunn I CURATE

Network Node

Name: Adanya Dunn
City/Place: Toronto
Country: Canada

CURATION

from this node by: Matrix

Life & Work

Bio: Canadian-Bulgarian soprano Adanya Dunn, critically acclaimed for her performance as Musetta in Against the Grain Theatre’s English “transladaptation” of Puccini’s La bohème, was noted by Definitely The Opera as the “revelation of the evening”, while Opera Going Toronto marked her as a “sultry soprano red hot and alluring.” For the 2016/2017, Adanya joined the Rebanks Family Fellowship & International Performance Residency Program at Glenn Gould School where she studied with Monica Whicher.

In June and July 2017, Adanya appeared as the title role in CHARLOTTE: A Tri-Coloured Play with Music, a new genre-bending chamber musical based on the life and artwork of the German-Jewish painter Charlotte Salomon (1917-1943). The show premiered as part of Toronto’s Luminato Festival and again in Taipei, Taiwan at the World Stage Design Scenofest, where Adanya made her Asian debut.

An exciting collaboration between Against the Grain Theatre and the Toronto International Film Festival led to her performing with pianist Topher Mokrzewski in excerpts of Schoenberg’s Pierrot lunaire as part the pre-concert to the first ever Toronto retrospective of one of the most important and influential filmmaking teams in cinema history, “Not Reconciled: The Films of Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet” (Moses und Aron), of which their performance was a noted as “a qualified success” (Barcza Blog).

An alumna of the University of Toronto (UofT), Adanya studied with Professor Lorna MacDonald for both her Master of Music in Opera Performance and Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance degrees. Within her studies, she had the opportunity to work with artists such as Sandra Horst, Nathalie Paulin, Russell Braun, Michael Albano, and Che Anne Loewen. While at the Opera School, she sang roles such as Mlle Silberklang (Der Schauspieldirekor), The Governess (The Turn of the Screw), and Miss Wordsworth (Albert Herring), and premiered three different contemporary operas by composition students.

In May 2016, Adanya graduated from Bard College Conservatory’s Graduate Vocal Arts Program, led by Artistic Directors Dawn Upshaw and Kayo Iwama, and studying with Patricia Misslin and Edith Bers. Through Bard, she performed at the Morgan Library in NYC, the Longy School of Music in Boston, the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, Sosnoff Theater in the Hudson Valley, and a debut with the Albany Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Allen Miller singing First Lady in Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Adanya sang the soprano solo in Handel’s Messiah under the baton of Leon Botstein with The Orchestra Now; performed in an operatic double bill as Papagena in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and the New York State Premiere of Oliver Knussen’s Higglety Pigglety Pop! in the soprano lead, Rhoda.

In January 2015, Adanya made her Carnegie Hall debut as part of Marilyn Horne’s The Song Continues, where she “took the stage with a wonderful relaxed stage presence and delighted the audience with her engaging personality” (Vocedimeche). Adanya was a Voice Fellow for two years at the Music Academy of the West (MAW) helmed by iconic mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne. At MAW she Adanya performed the role of Clorinda in Rossini’s La Cenerentola directed by David Paul and conducted by Jayce Ogren. There, she also performed in opera scenes directed by Bruce Donnell: Frantik (The Cunning Little Vixen) and Valencienne (Die lustige Witwe). The previous year, she covered the role of Frasquita in Bizet’s Carmen and performed in opera scene excerpts directed by Gregory Fortner, as Marzelline (Fidelio by Beethoven) and Elvira (L’italiana in Algeri) conducted by John Fisher and Warren Jones, respectively. Adanya also premiered the chamber song cycle we do it to one another by cellist-composer Joshua Roman, and had the opportunity to work with Marilyn Horne, Fred Carama, Martin Katz, John Churchwell, Anthony Dean Griffey, Nino Sanikidze, and Denise Massé.

Adanya has won an Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (Buffalo-Toronto District) and was a finalist at the Eckhardt Gramatté Competition in May 2017. Adanya won a Top Graduate Award from the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music and is a two-time long-term grant recipient for Professional Musicians from the Canada Council for the Arts.

With support of the Canadian Aldeburgh Foundation, she attended the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme, Aldeburgh Music Festival in June 2012, studying with soprano Dawn Upshaw and pianist Kayo Iwama in England. Past development programs include Highlands Opera Studio, Banff Centre’s Opera in the 21st Century Program, Opera NUOVA, Toronto Summer Music Festival, Tapestry Opera 101, Vancouver International Song Institute, Orford Arts Centre and Academy, and Opera Atelier Professional Training Program. Adanya has had the pleasure of coaching with Richard Margison, Renate Rohlfing, Lucy Shelton, John Fisher, Marilyn Horne, Cameron Stowe, Warren Jones, and Philip Morehead.

The fall was full of ground-breaking music by Canadian composers. With the Highlands Opera Studio, Adanya performed in the semi-staged workshop performance of Mishaabooz’s Realm, an important new work combining opera and First Nations singers and instrumentalists, by Cree composer Andrew Balfour. With Soundstreams, Adanya was the soprano soloist in the 70-minute theatrical realization of the music by Quebecois composer Claude Vivier (1948-1983) including Musik für das Ende (The Music of the End) and Do you Believe in the Immortality of the Soul? at Crow’s Theatre in Toronto. These were the world premiere of the first staged production of these pieces comprised of 10 intercultural singers bringing together diverse styles and heritages in a ritual journey through life, through death, and beyond.

Adanya’s passion for innovative and genre-bending projects led her to pursue roles in both the contemporary and traditional classical spheres. She is a resident performer with the interdisciplinary arts collective FAWN Chamber Creative collaborating with composers, artists, writers, and performers, in creating and producing new works. Adanya is the Co-Artistic Director of and core performer with The Happenstancers, a chamber music concert series she developed with her colleagues Brad Cherwin (clarinet) and Nahre Sol (piano). Featuring guest artists, visual media, and creative programming, the series is currently in its second season.

Upcoming projects the world premiere of Synesthesia IV – Pandora, a triple bill of Opera-Ballets by three different Canadian composers that emerged through a collective creation method and improvisation with FAWN; a workshop with Soundstreams; a residency with ICE (International Contemporary Ensemble) at the Banff Centre this summer; and some funky psychedelic-electro-improv-opera-esque creations in Europe and beyond.

Contact Information

Email: adanya [at] adanyadunn [dot] com
Contact by Webpage: http://adanyadunn.com/contact/

Media | Markets

▶ Twitter: AddyDear
▶ Instagram: adanyad
▶ Website: http://adanyadunn.com

Quotes, Notes & Etc. AYRE: An Evening of Osvaldo Golijov

Against the Grain Theatre / Aga Khan Museum at the Ismaili Centre, Toronto

“[…] inhabited the sweet, passionate world of Golijov’s writing for voice with real conviction.“
– Robert Harris, THE GLOBE & MAIL

“Lúa Descolorida […] sung by soloist Adanya Dunn with simple, shining grace, provides much-needed catharsis.”
– Ian Ritchie, OPERA GOING TORONTO

Dunn’s voice handled the extreme range and colours covered in the piece beautifully. […] you were so transfixed“
– Gregory Finney, SCHMOPERA

Clips (more may be added)

Magnificat - Ecce enim (Mvt 2) by Kim André Arnesen
By Adanya Dunn

669 views

Adanya Dunn Curated

What's Been Happening?

A video was posted re Adanya Dunn:

Magnificat - Ecce enim (Mvt 2) by Kim André Arnesen
Cantores Celestes Women's Choir Kelly Galbraith ~ Director LIVE Dec 2, 2017 Kate Carver ~ piano Matthew Coons ~ organ Adanya Dunn ~ soprano Emperor Quartet: ...
- April 29, 2019
A category was added to Adanya Dunn:

Canada
- April 29, 2019
A category was added to Adanya Dunn:

Toronto
- April 29, 2019
A category was added to Adanya Dunn:

Soprano
- April 29, 2019
Adanya Dunn is matrixed!
- April 29, 2019

em português →

ARE YOU MATRIXED?

"Many thanks for this – I am touched!"
✅—Julian Lloyd Webber
We're touched too Mr Webber! (cello & Brazilian music fan)

"Obrigado!"
✅—Founding Member Darius Mans (economist, PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology); president-elect of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

"I'm truly thankful ... Sohlangana ngokuzayo :)"
✅—Nduduzo Makhathini (piano, Blue Note recording artist)

"Thanks, this is a brilliant idea!!"
✅—Alicia Svigals (klezmer fiddle; founder of The Klezmatics)

"This is super impressive work ! Congratulations ! Thanks for including me :)))"
✅—Clarice Assad (composer & piano; compositions recorded by Yo Yo Ma and played by orchestras around the world)

This is a matrix in the original sense of "source" ("matrix" derives from "mater", Latin for "mother"). The platform was built in Bahia, Brazil in order to provide a means by which Bahian artists could be reached from around the world. But there's a beautiful catch: To work for these people the platform must work for ALL in the global creative economy. It must engender an INTEGRATED GLOBAL CREATIVE ECONOMY.
How a) Inside this matrix you have a node (a page) — a calling card to the universe — from which you can curate (recommend) other people in the network, and by which they can recommend you.
How b) In mathematics there is something called "the small world phenomenon". Human society is "small world" (which is how most of the 8 billion of us of are within some 6 or so steps of each other). Neurons in the human brain are "small world". The internet is "small world".
How c) This matrix is "small world". Nodes tend to be a small number of steps apart. You can potentially step from any node to any other. You can get to João do Boi from Quincy Jones in 4 steps. And from Quincy Jones to you.
Participation is free to people. Businesses outside of Bahia, Brazil will be levied a nominal fee.
Artificial intelligence not necessary. Real intelligence, yes. The matrix is a real mother for ya! Odoyá!

"we appreciate you"
(Banch Abegaze, mgr)
✅—Kamasi Washington

← in english

VOCÊ ESTÁ NO MATRIX?

"Muito obrigado por isso - estou tocado!"
✅—Julian Lloyd Webber
Estamos tocados também Sr. Webber! (violoncelo & fã da música brasileira)

"Obrigado!"
✅—Membro Fundador Darius Mans (economista, doutorado, Massachusetts Institute of Technology); presidente eleito do Brasil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

"Estou realmente agradecido... Sohlangana ngokuzayo :)"
✅—Nduduzo Makhathini (piano, artista da Blue Note)

"Obrigada, esta é uma ideia brilhante!!"
✅—Alicia Svigals (violino klezmer; fundadora da The Klezmatics)

"Este é um trabalho super impressionante! Parabéns! Obrigada por me incluir :)))"
✅—Clarice Assad (compositora & piano; composições gravadas por Yo Yo Ma e tocadas por orquestras ao redor do mundo)

Este é uma matrix no sentido original de "fonte" ("matrix" deriva de "mater", latim para "mãe"). A plataforma foi construída na Bahia, Brasil, a fim de fornecer um meio pelo qual artistas baianos pudessem ser alcançados de ao redor do mundo. Mas existe um porém lindo: Para funcionar para essas pessoas a plataforma deve funcionar para TODOS na economia criativa global. Deve gerar uma ECONOMIA CRIATIVA GLOBAL INTEGRADA.
Como a) O matrix é uma rede de pessoas/entidades na economia criativa global. Você tem um nó (uma página) — um cartão de visita para o universo numa lista de informações do século 21 que circula o mundo — de onde pode selecionar (recomendar) outras pessoas na rede, e elas podem recomendar você.
Como b) Na matemática existe algo chamado "o fenômeno do mundo pequeno". A sociedade humana é um "mundo pequeno" (que é como a maioria dos 8 bilhões de nós estão dentro de mais ou menos 6 passos de um ao outro). Os neurônios no cérebro humano são um "mundo pequeno". A internet é um "mundo pequeno".
Como c) Este matrix é "pequeno mundo". Os nós tendem a estar separados por um pequeno número de etapas. Você pode potencialmente passar de qualquer nó para qualquer outro. Você pode chegar ao João do Boi de Quincy Jones em 4 etapas. E de Quincy Jones a você.
A participação é gratuita para pessoas. As empresas fora da Bahia, Brasil serão cobradas uma taxa nominal.
Inteligência artificial não necessária. Inteligência real, sim. O matrix é uma verdadeira mãe! Odoyá!