Hilary Ginther
Mezzo Soprano
"...most notable was Hilary Ginther as Anne Boleyn: from the moment she stepped on-stage, she embodied Anne Boleyn's every dramatic beat with pitch-perfect conviction, and her voice proved both tender and powerful: her Act II aria where she contemplates how Henry is considering making her his new queen very nearly stopped the show, and was one of the highlights of the evening."
-Arturo Fernandez, Schmopera
Hilary Ginther's 2023-2024 season begins with a return to Virginia Opera and one of her signature roles, Rosina in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, followed by another return to Musica Viva Hong Kong as Giovanna Seymour in Donizetti's ANNA BOLENA. In the winter of 2024 she will reprise the role of Olga in a remount of Rosetta Cucchi's production of EUGENE ONEGIN at Opera Columbus, and in the spring she will create the role of Sara Stro (reimagined Sarastro) in Opera Columbus' take on a Mozart favorite called A MAGIC FLUTE EXPERIENCE: THE TEMPLE. Her season concludes with her second summer at Central City Opera as Emma Jones in Kurt Weill's STREET SCENE.
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA
(ROSSINI)
ROSINA
Virginia Opera
NOVEMBER 3-19
2023
ANNA BOLENA
(DONIZETTI)
GIOVANNA SEYMOUR
Musica Viva Hong Kong
DECEMBER 8-10
2023
EUGENE ONEGIN
(TCHAIKOVSKY)
OLGA
Opera Columbus
MARCH 1 & 2
2024
Opera Columbus
APRIL 19-28
2024
A MAGIC FLUTE EXPERIENCE: THE TEMPLE
(MOZART / QUE JONES)
SARA STRO
(SARASTRO REIMAGINED)
STREET SCENE
(WEILL)
EMMA JONES
Central City Opera
JULY 13-AUGUST 3
2024
"The mezzo-soprano's darkly projected voice conveyed Anne's ambition to become queen, but her melting lyricism in her Act 3 duet with Chioldi suggested that her character actually loved Henry." - Boston Classical Review
WATCH AND LISTEN
Giovanna Seymour in Donizetti's ANNA BOLENA with Musica Viva Hong Kong 2023. (Highlights)
JOAN OF ARC in Tchaikovsky's THE MAID OF ORLEANS with New Orleans Opera in February of 2020.
Elisabetta's entrance aria cabaletta from Donizetti's MARIA STUARDA,
"Ah! dal ciel discenda un raggio"
Adalgisa in Bellini's NORMA with Musica Viva Hong Kong in July of 2021.
Confrontation scene from MARIA STUARDA with Musica Viva Hong Kong 2022. Hilary Ginther (Elisabetta), Meryl Dominguez (Maria)
Odyssey Opera welcomed Hilary for her company debut in 2019 as ANNE BOLEYN in Saint-Saëns' rarely performed HENRY VIII.
HIlary has been profiled by Opera Now magazine as one of ten young American singers intent on taking the opera world by storm...
"Hilary Ginther’s mezzo-soprano has been described as “pitch-perfect” and “tender and powerful” (Schmopera). This season, Ginther sings Rosina in Virginia Opera’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, joins Musica Viva Hong Kong for a role debut as Giovanna Seymour in Anna Bolena, and returns to Central City Opera as Emma Jones in Street Scene.
Ginther also joins Opera Columbus for two quite distinct roles, first as Olga in an Opera Columbus-Columbus Symphony coproduction of Eugene Onegin, then as Sara (Sarastro) in A Magic Flute Experience: The Temple. This reimagined 90-minute take on Mozart’s classic features a new libretto and orchestrations and is set in secret location that audiences will not discover until 48 hours before the performance."
-Eric McKeever, Classical Singer Magazine
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"Mezzo-soprano Hilary Ginther’s Giovanna (Jane Seymour) was spectacular. With rich, even registers and a vocal brilliance that penetrates even in her quietest moments, Ginther embodies the heart-wrenching struggle between her love for Henry and her concern for Anna. Her performance—whether she is pensively stroking the curves of the throne or rapturously fixating on the glimmer of the royal ring–is a pleasure to experience."
- Sylvia Woo, Interlude
A royal performance as Elisabetta in Donizetti's Maria Stuarda in Hong Kong
"As Elisabetta, mezzo-soprano Hilary Ginther (a stunning Adalgisa in MusicaViva’s Norma last year), is the kind of performer that lights up a stage even before she has even opened her mouth, and when she does, she delivers top-notch singing. With her warm timbre and earthy tessiture, she was reminiscent of both a young Agnes Baltsa and Huguette Tourangeau. Ginther also possesses an impressive evenness throughout the registers, not to mention sensational clarion high notes that soar at will over the ensemble. In a silvery-white gown and glittering ruff (designed by Andrew Cheung), she looked and sounded every inch a queen."
Odyssey Opera releases recording of live performance of Henry VIII by Saint-Saëns
Ms. Ginther's portrayal of Anne Boleyn was met with great acclaim amongst this star-studded cast. The recording from the 2019 performance was recently released and can be purchased digitally or as a 4 disc CD booklet with libretto, translation, history of the piece, performer biographies, and production photos.
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Olga in Eugene Onegin at Opera Omaha
"Hilary Ginther's portrayal of Olga skillfully balanced the charm and tragedy of the character. Her luxurious mezzo-soprano savor ornamented the texture of the ensemble cast just like a favorite Christmas ornament."
"Tatyana's sister [Olga] played by mezzo-soprano, Hilary Ginther, is flirtatious and girlish as the self-absorbed younger sister, decadent yet coyly engaging at the social gatherings she attends."
Hilary triumphs as Adalgisa in Hong Kong
"...it was Dominguez and Ginther’s duets that were arguably the highlights of the evening: the pair’s relative youth added a lightness well-suited to who the characters actually are. Both were likable, and hence believable."
"As the heaven-inspired peasant girl Joan of Arc, Hilary Ginther commanded the stage all the way from her angelic inspiration through triumphs, soul-wrenching romance, crushing tragedy, and divine enlightenment to her ultimate immolation. This tiny but mighty mezzo Maid filled Mahalia’s huge house with the glory of her prophecy, prayers, spiritual anguish, religious fervor, heroic valor, tender love, and martyrdom...I swear it was a tour de force, a true epiphany. I hope Joan of Arc can become this incredible artist’s signature role, and other opera companies should sign Hilary for many more productions of this masterpiece."
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