Kimwana Doner-Chandler
Biography
American soprano, Kimwana Doner has been described as “absolutely luminous” as well as “mesmerizing to watch and thrilling to hear.” A product of the distinguished young artist training programs of San Francisco Opera (Merola and Adler Fellowship), Seattle Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and Opera North, Ms. Doner is establishing a career that includes the full breadth of the lyric to dramatic soprano repertoire.
With acclaimed performances on the mainstages of the San Francisco Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre, Boston Lyric Opera, and Opera North, the statuesque Ms. Doner is becoming increasingly seen as an important young talent in her fach. Her repertoire already encompasses many of the Mozart heroines including Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), Pamina and Erste Dame (Die Zauberflöte), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), and the Countess (Le Nozze di Figaro) as well as Puccini's Liu (Turandot) and Musetta (La Bohème) and Bizet's Michaëla (Carmen). In recent years, she is excited to have expanded her repertoire into Verdi and Strauss with Leonora (Il Trovatore), Alice (Falstaff) and the title role in Ariadne with Naxos.
Also an avid concert performer, she has appeared with the Saint Louis Symphony, Modesto Symphony, Yakima Symphony, Napa Valley Opera House, and Rackham Symphony as well as several prominent concert series including the Music at Meyer Concert Series in the acoustically superb Meyer Sanctuary in San Francisco, CA and the Eureka Chamber Music Concert Series which brings together prominent artists from the US and abroad.
Ms. Doner is the proud recipient of the Best Performance Leading Female Award 2006 from Opera Online and the Emily Gaddes Memorial Award 2002 from Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.