Biography & Resume'
Performing Career - Biography
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.
Performing Resume'
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
Teaching Resume'
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