Biography & Resume'

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Lyric Soprano Davida Kagen, a native Philadelphian, sang for many years as the leading lyric soprano for the Wuppertal Opera (Wuppertaler Bühnen) in Germany and guested at many other major opera houses throughout Europe including Zürich Opera, Deutcher Oper am Rhein, Düsseldorf, and the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. Her roles include Constanze in Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio,Susanna in Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, Alcina in Handel’s Alcina, Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto, as well as over 30 other leading roles. 

Much in demand for concerts and oratorio since returning to the states, Davida has performed with most of the  region's orchestras over the past 25 years.2006 heard Davida with the Tacoma Symphony again with Harvey Felder conducting in Vaughn-Williams' 1st (Sea) Symphony as well as Handel’s Messiah soloist with Seattle Choral Company. 

Her discography includes recording of Ravel’s 5 Greek Folk Songs with harpist Juliet Stratton in her CD “Heaven and Earth” on the Lyros label and a CD of Mendelssohn's Lobgesang with the Philharmonia Northwest, Roupen Shakarian conducting.

Davida received her musical education and opera training at Temple University in Philadelphia under the late Klara Meyers, private voice lessons for 17 years with renowned master voice teacher, the late Ellen Faull, private instruction with master teacher, the late Eliose Ristad (author of "A Soprano On Her Head") and at the International Opera Studio in Zürich, Switzerland. 

She has taught singing at Cornish College for the Arts and University of Washington for the theater department's PATP (professional actors training program) and was for 10 1/2 years a faculty member of the Western Washington University Music department teaching private voice lessons as well as maintaining a private voice studio in Kenmore Washington as well as the Greater Seattle/Eastside area.

SELECTED OPERATIC REPERTOIRE* : 

Abduction from the Seraglio ~ Konstanza (German) 

Albert Herring ~ Miss Wordsworth (Ger) 

Alcina ~ Alcina (German)

Un Ballo in Maschera ~ Oscar (Italian)

 La Boheme ~ Musetta (Italian & English) 

Cosi fan tutte ~ Despina (English) Falstaff ~ Nanetta (Italian & German)

 The Magic Flute ~ Pamina (Ger & Eng)

The Marriage of Figaro Susanna (German & English)

Rigoletto ~ Gilda (Italian) 

The Tales of Hoffmann ~ Olympia (French & German) 

Ring of the Nibelung:      

Das Rheingold ~ Woglinda (German)      

Die Walküre ~ Helmwige (German)   Siegfried ~ Forest Bird (German)   Götterdämmerung ~ Woglinda (German)  

*Over 30 Operatic Roles performed in over 400 performances.

SELECTED CONCERT REPERTOIRE: 

Bach ~ Christmas Oratorio 

Barber - Knoxville: Summer of 1915 

Beethoven ~ Symphony No. 9 Beethoven ~ Missa Solemnis 

Brahms ~ German Requiem 

Handel ~ Samson 

Handel ~ Messiah 

Mahler ~ Symphony No. 4 

Mendelssohn ~ Elijah 

Mozart ~ C Minor Mass 

Mozart ~ Requiem 

Mozart ~ Concert Arias K.490, K.578, K.582 

Mozart ~ L'amero' saro`costante 

(Il Re`Pastore) 

Orff ~ Carmina Burana

OPERA HOUSES:

Zürich Opera, Düsseldorf Opera, 

Wuppertal Opera & Schauspielhaus, 

National Theater Mannheim, 

State Theater Hannover, 

State Theater Kassel, 

Greater Buffalo Opera, 

Bronx Opera, Tacoma Opera, 

Heidelberg Summer Castle Festival,

Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya

Hall (Seattle Symphony)

ORCHESTRAS: 

Eastman Philharmonia

Aspen Festival Orchestra

Orchestra Seattle

Youngstown Symphony 

Cascade Symphony

MidColumbia Symphony 

Bellevue Philharmonic

Seattle Youth Symphony 

Northwest Sinfonietta

Philharmonia Northwest 

Tacoma Symphony

Whatcom Symphony 

Whatcom Chamber Orchestra 

Auburn Symphony

Seattle Violin Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra  

45+ Years of Teaching Experience: 

Cornish College for the Performing Arts (1993-4) 

University of Washington - Professional Actors Training Program (1995) 

Western Washington University adjunct faculty (1996 - 2006)  

TEACHERS: 

1977 - Present: Ellen Faull, private studio, New York City, NY and Camas, WA 

1985 - Eloise Ristad, author of "Soprano on Her Head", private studio, Boulder, CO 

1971 - 1977: Klara Meyers, Temple University College of Music, Philadelphia, PA  

CHURCH WORK:

Christian Science Church Soloist for over 30 years.

STAGE DIRECTORS: 

Grischa Asagaroff

David Bartholomew

Joseph Baschetta

Alvin Epstein

Richard Flusser

Nicolas Muni

Friedrich Meyer-Oertel

Didier von Orlowsky

Richard Pearlman

Andreas Prohaska

Dieter Reible  

CONDUCTORS: 

Roger Briggs

Christophe Chagnard

Harvey Felder

David Effron

Joel Fried

Joshua Green

Peter Gülke, 

Stewart Kershaw

Michael Miropolsky

Jean-Francois Monnard

Nello Santi

Tristan Schick

Hans-Martin Schneidt

Roupen Shakarian

George Shangrow

Michael Spearman  

REPERTOIRE COACHES: 

Steven Bleier 

George Fiore, 

Thomas Grubb 

Bern Herbolsheimer

William Hughes

Gary Magby     

Jeffrey Moidel

Tom Moroco

Donna Racik

Martin Rich 

Dean Williamson