Program notes
After a dramatic escape across the Iron Curtain in 1962, Prague native Soňa Červená went on to build a career in West Germany as an opera singer and actress. She would not return to the Czech stage until 2010, but the five intervening decades saw her achieve resounding success in prestigious venues the world over—from San Francisco and Chicago to Bayreuth, Glyndebourne, and La Monnaie. Červená has lent her distinctive voice and incredible talent to the most memorable roles in the repertoire: the title role in Bizet’s Carmen, Azucena in Il Trovatore, Verta in The Barber of Seville, Flora in La Traviata, and many others. Rediscover the effervescent mezzo-soprano onstage and in rehearsal—in all the places where she has left an indelible mark.