Christina Major
Having
been dubbed a “fascinating and hugely talented
singer” by the San Francisco Chronicle, young
American Soprano Christina Major is becoming known
for her versatile lyric soprano whose repertoire
includes Mozart, Rossini, Handel, Gounod, Stravinski,
Bizet, Verdi, and Puccini.
Reviews by
well known publications such as the San Francisco
Chronicle praised her “magnetic presence and
vocal brilliance” calling her performance of
Violetta “riveting... fearless... and powerful.”
She “boasts a terrific combination of tonal
allure, technical command and stylistic assurance.”
San Francisco Classical Voice praised
her performance as Anne Trulove calling her last
lullaby to Tom Rakewell “luminous.”
The Oakland Tribune called her performance as
Violetta “literally and figuratively worth dying
for”…also noting “Addio del passato” as
“incomparable in beauty and elegance.” “Major’s
high pianissimos dangled lovingly over the
orchestra’s fermattas provided the evening’s
most epiphanic moment,” hailed the
San Francisco Bay Times for her performance
of Donna Anna. “Major cooed. She built tension
with precision, delivering high notes at low volume,
espressing excitement and yearning with her richly
layered voice, feathered by quivering restraint. It
was the highlight of the production…..” hailed
the San Jose Metro. “The voice is fresh
and full …her control of messa di voce passages is
impressive, soft dynamic levels building to a peak
and then diminishing seamlessly… Major emerged as
the star of the evening,” hailed the
San Francisco Classical Voice.
The
2005-06 season will see Ms. Major in her debut with
Phoenix Symphony in Carmina Burana. She will
return as a featured soloist with the Midsummer
Mozart Festival in San Francisco in Mozart’s C
minor Mass under the baton of Maestro George
Cleve. Just after performing the role of Rosina in
Il Barbiere di Siviglia in Idaho, she will
sing the role of Violetta at Rimrock Opera in
Billings Montana. In 2006 she will debut with the
Ft.Worth Opera in the role of Mimi in La Boheme
in 2006.
In
2003, Ms. Major sang the role of an Accuser/Victim
in the world Premier of Bright Sheng’s Madam Mao
at Santa Fe Opera. Just prior to that summer season,
she was invited to Santa Fe Opera in the fall for
performances of Pirates of Penzance. Ms.
Major also sang the role of Mimi in La Boheme
with the Knoxville Opera with Maestro Frank Graffeo.
She was invited back to Opera San Jose where she
sang the role of Nedda in Pagliacci. In 2004
she sang the roles of Leila in Le Pecheurs de
Perles, and Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus.
In the summer of 2004, Ms. Major was a featured
soloist with the Midsummer Mozart Festival in San
Francisco. 2002, Christina sang the role of the
Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro with the
Amarillo Opera. That summer she was invited to
Santa Fe Opera where she covered the role of
Violetta in La Traviata, a role she has just
performed with Nevada Opera in 2001 to an emotional
standing ovation from the audience. From 1998-2000,
Ms. Major was selected as the youngest singer ever
selected for Opera San Jose’s resident principal
artist roster. She made her professional debut
there in the role of Anne Trulove in The Rake’s
Progress. Shortly after, she sang the roles of
Juliette in Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette as
well as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni. She also
sang the roles of Hanna Glawari in Die Lusitge
Witwe. In 1999, she returned as a resident
artist to sing the roles of Rosina in Il Barbiere
di Siviglia to which audiences roared with
laughter at her comedic skills. She finished her
residency at Opera San Jose with the roles of
Micaela in Carmen and Violetta in La
Traviata. Ms. Major participated in the young
artist programs at The Santa Fe Opera as well as Des
Moines Metro Opera. In 2002, she was a finalist in
the Sarah Tucker Grant Awards. She was a national
finalist in the Marguerite McCammon Vocal
Competition in 2003.