ESTHER TONEA
Esther Tonea Soprano
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
"Esther is an extraordinary young soprano. She has emerged as one of the most exciting lyric sopranos of our time."
JAKE HEGGIE, COMPOSER
METROPOLITAN OPERA COMPETITION WINNER
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.
“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.”