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Esther Tonea                 Soprano

"Esther is an extraordinary young soprano. She has emerged as one of the most exciting lyric sopranos of our time."

JAKE HEGGIE, COMPOSER

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SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

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MOZART: CORONATION MASS

Soprano Soloist

Shasta Symphony

May 29 2023

TASTE OF SPRING

Recital 

Taste of Talent

May 4, 6 2023

HANDEL: SEMELE

Title Role

Wolf Trap Opera

June 25, 29

July 1 2023

ARIA JUKEBOX

Interactive Concert

Wolf Trap Opera

July 2 2023

SALON SERIES

Recital

Wolf Trap Opera

July 28 2023

Tonea’s concluding account of the aria “Col sorriso d’innocenza” from Bellini’s rarely heard opera “Il Pirata” was a performance of powerful, gleaming tone, effortless precision and expressive immediacy, all rendered with the sublime assurance of an established diva.

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

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IOLANTA

Listen to Esther sing Iolanta's arioso from Tchaikovsky's Iolanta. Recorded with pianist Andrew King.

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METROPOLITAN OPERA COMPETITION WINNER

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From an initial pool of 1,100 applicants, Esther is a 2022 winner of the Metropolitan Opera's Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition. Click below to read San Francisco Chronicle's feature. 

WORLD PREMIERE OF IF I WERE YOU

While in the Merola Opera Program, Esther premiered the role of lead soprano Diana in one of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer's newest operas. Click on the link below to read Joshua Kosman's review in the San Francisco Chronicle.

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“Voice was something unexpected,” explains

Tonea. “I wanted to pursue cello and

neuroscience—with the intention of  going

the neuroscience route—but I found myself

so in love with music that I couldn’t live without it.”

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