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Natalie Dessay

Biography

French coloratura soprano Natalie Dessay was created Nathalie Dessaix in Lyon in 1965. She simplified her name in homage to Natalie Solid wood. Dessay emerged around the worldwide scene within the 1990s. A graduate from the Bordeaux Conservatoire, she required first prize within the Leading Prix de Concourse within the France-Telecom Les Voix Nouvelles Competition, and joined the Paris Opéra’s training curriculum for talented youthful performers, the Ecole d’Art Lyric. After earning the International Mozart Competition from the Vienna Condition Opera in 1991, she received invites for concert and recital looks, especially an all-Mozart recital around the stage of La Scala. She also produced a recital documenting with EMI Classics of Mozart arias which was an extraordinary achievement. Quickly involved by main opera houses all over the world, she sang Blondchen in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Madame Herz in Der Schauspieldirektor, the name part in Zaïde, Adele in Die Fledermaus, and Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos. In 1992, Dessay debuted as Olympia in Offenbach’s Stories of Hoffmann, and in 1993, she sang in the starting of the brand new Lyon Opéra. Within the same 12 months she became a member of the roster from the Vienna Staatsoper having a triumphant overall performance as Blondchen. She sang there within an acclaimed creation of Stories of Hoffmann with Plácido Domingo, so when Sophie in Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier reverse Anne Sophie von Otter. Another Strauss opera was the automobile on her behalf debut in the Metropolitan Opera in NY in 1994, where she sang Fiakermilli in Arabella. Also that 12 months, she put into her credits the Queen of the night time (Mozart’s Magic Flute) within the Aix-en-Provence Festival, as well as the name part of Delibes’ Lakmé in the Opéra-Comique in Paris. Dessay enlarged the range of her repertory within the middle- to past due ’90s, performing Strauss’ rarely noticed Die Schweigsame Frau (The Silent Girl) on her behalf house stage in Vienna, Stravinsky’s Nightingale on the Châtelet under Boulez, and Ophelia in Thomas’ Hamlet on the Geneva Opera. Since that time she’s added Offenbach’s Orphée aux Enfers, La Sonnambula, Lucia di Lammermoor, Massenet’s Manon, and Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro to her repertory. She’s produced a area of expertise of Bellini and Donizetti heroines, excelling in jobs both comic (La Fille du Regiment) and tragic (Lucia). Her shows in those jobs were highlighted in Live in the Met Simulcasts in 2008 and 2011, respectively. Her recital record, Vocalises, gained a Diapason d’Or award along with a Classique d’Or RTL in 1998. Regardless of the dependence on vocal cord medical operation, which place her profession on keep from 2002 until 2005, EMI’s documenting of Lakmé with Michel Plasson performing and Dessay within the name role gained the prize for French Documenting of the entire year on the Victoires de la Musique Classique. Various other releases consist of Offenbach’s Orphée along with a Mozart aria disk on Virgin. She’s recorded both first French and Italian variations of Lucia di Lammermoor. Her set of awards also contains the Opera Information Award as well as the Laurence Olivier Award (both 2008), and her designation being a Chevalier from the Legion of Honor (2011). In 2013, Dessay retired from live operatic functionality (her final function was as Massenet’s Manon in Toulouse, France). But she’s continuing to record, dealing with several tasks beyond the range of opera (something she acquired previously prevented). Her 2013 discharge, Entre elle et lui, was a duo task with veteran French film composer and jazz pianist Michel Legrand. In 2017, Dessay released Images of America, her initial English-language album, having a plan of choices from the fantastic American Songbook.

Quick Facts


Full Name Natalie Dessay
Profession Actor, Opera Singer, Dramatic Coloratura Soprano
Education Conservatoire de Bordeaux
Nationality French
Spouse Laurent Naouri
Awards Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Music Songs Lakmé: Air des clochettes, Les Eaux de Mars, Flower Duet, Nous sommes des soeurs jumelles, Les moulins de mon coeur, Papa Can You Hear Me?, Nuit d'étoiles, Die Zauberflöte: Der Hölle Rache, Se pieta di me non senti, Les Cloches, La traviata, Act 1: "Follie! Follie!...Sempre libera", Clair de lune, Vocalise, Op. 34, Suleika, D.720, Rastlose Liebe, D.138, Bist du bei mir, Ah! Non Credea Mirarti, Zaïde: Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben, Caro! Bella!, Schwanengesang, D.957, No. 1: "Liebesbotschaft", Rondel chinois, I'm a Fool to Want You, Je suis Titania la blonde, Duo de Guy et Geneviève, What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?, Autour de minuit, Am Bach im Frühling, D.361, The Summer Knows, Offenbach: Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Act 2: No. 12, Couplets, "Les oiseaux dans la charmille", Pantomime, Die Zauberflöte: O zitt're nicht, mein lieber sohn!, C'en est donc fait...Salut à la France!
Albums Pictures of America, Entre elle et lui, Rio-Paris, Orphée aux Enfers (Chœurs & Orchestre de l'Opéra National de Lyon & Orchestre de Chambre de Grenoble feat. conductor: Marc Minkowski), Bellini La Sonnambula, Airs d'opéras français, Mitridate, re di Ponto (Les Talens Lyriques feat. conductor: Christophe Rousset), Clair de lune (soprano : Natalie Dessay, piano : Philippe Cassard), Mozart: Airs de Concert, Italian Opera Arias, Debussy: Clair de lune, Fiançailles pour rire, La véritable histoire de l'apprenti sorcier (Une introduction à la musique classique), Handel : "Cleopatra" - Giulio Cesare Opera arias, Bellini : Sonnambula (Highlights), Handel Il Trionfo Del Tempo, Bach: Cantatas, Lakme Dessay Plasson, La Sonnambula (Orchestre & Chœurs de l'Opéra de Lyon feat. conductor: Evelino Pidò), Donizetti: Lucie di Lammermoor, La boîte à joujoux, Stravinsky: Le Rossignol; Renard, Concert Arias, Babar et le Père Noël (Bonus Track Version), Mass in C minor, K. 427 / Masonic Funeral Music, K. 477 (Le Concert d'Astrée feat. conductor: Louis Langrée), La petite sirène, Schubert, Histoire de Babar le petit éléphant, Handel: Delirio, Mozart Heroines (Natalie Dessay), Le Magicien d'Oz, Strauss : "Amor" - Opera scenes & Lieder, Le Miracle d'une voix, Handel - Arcadian Duets, Italian Opera Arias (Concerto Köln feat. conductor: Evelino Pidò, soprano: Natalie Dessay), De l'opéra à la chanson, The Miracle of the Voice, Delirio - Handel, Vocalises (Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester feat. conductor: Michael Schonwandt, soprano: Natalie Dessay), Mad Scenes, Bach Cantatas BWV 51, 82a & 199 (Le Concert D'Astrée feat. conductor: Emanuelle Haim, soprano: Natalie Dessay), Ein Deutsches Requiem, Baroque, Natalie Dessay, Scènes de la Folie, Die Zauberflöte
Nominations Grammy Award for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Movies Joyeux Noël, Becoming Traviata, Le Rossignol, La voix des steppes, Natalie Dessay: Greatest Moments on Stage, Natalie Dessay & Rolando Villazon: Massenet: Manon, Some Tales of Hoffmann: Offenbach: Opera De Lyon


  • Facts
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#Fact
1 Dubbed the voice of Gabi the tree frog (originally voiced by Kristin Chenoweth) for the French release of Rio 2.
2 Uses "Nat 2C" for her autograph, relying on the French pronunciation of the letters "2C", which is "Dessay".
3 Has supported Lionel Jospin's 2002 presidential campaign.
4 French coloratura soprano.


Actress

Actress

TitleYearStatusCharacter
La voix des steppes 2014
The Metropolitan Opera HD Live 2008-2013 TV Series The Egyptians: Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt / Violetta Valéry / Lucia / ...
Les Contes d'Hoffmann/The Tales of Hoffmann 2013 TV Movie Antonia
The Bolshoi Ballet: Live from Moscow 2011 TV Series
La Traviata 2011 TV Movie Violetta Valery
Jules César 2011 TV Movie Cleopatra
Pelleas et Melisande 2009 TV Movie Melisande
Lucia di Lammermoor 2009 Lucia
Manon 2007/II TV Movie Manon Lescaut
La fille du régiment 2007 TV Movie Marie
Gaetano Donizetti - Die Regimentstochter (La fille du régiment) 2007 TV Movie Marie
Joyeux Noel 2005 Anna Sörensen (singing voice)
Le rossignol 2005 TV Movie Le Rossignol
Ariadne auf Naxos 2004 TV Movie Zerbinetta
Hamlet, Ambroise Thomas 2004 Video Ophélie
The Metropolitan Opera Presents 1994-2003 TV Series Zerbinetta / The Fiakermilli
Ariadne auf Naxos 2001 TV Movie Zerbinetta
Hamlet 2000/I TV Movie Ophélie
La flûte enchantée 2000/I TV Movie La Reine de la nuit
Les contes d'Hoffmann 2000 TV Movie Olympia
Die Entführung aus dem Serail 2000 TV Movie Konstanze
Orphée aux enfers 1997 TV Movie Eurydice
Les contes d'Hoffmann - I racconti di Hoffmann 1995 TV Movie Olympia
L'enfant et les sortilèges 1994 TV Movie Le Feu
La flûte enchantée 1994 TV Movie La Reine de la Nuit
La plante 1993 Short Soprano singer
Some Tales of Hoffmann 1993 TV Movie Olympia
La légende de Joseph en Égypte 1990 TV Movie Une jeune fille

Soundtrack

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
La voix des steppes 2014 performer: "Vocalise"
The Metropolitan Opera HD Live 2011 TV Series performer - 1 episode
Joyeux Noel 2005 performer: "Ave Maria", "Bist du bei mir"
Le rossignol 2005 TV Movie performer: "Le Rossignol"
Marcel Proust's Time Regained 1999 performer: "Le temps retrouvé Vocalise"
Pavarotti Plus! Sixth Edition 1994 TV Special performer: "Brindisi"

Self

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Entrée Libre 2016 TV Series Herself
Comment ça va bien! 2016 TV Series Herself
Le ce soir show 2015 TV Series Herself
Le grand journal de Canal+ 2005-2015 TV Series documentary Herself
Vivement dimanche 2003-2015 TV Series Herself
Je suis Charlie: Soirée de soutien à Charlie Hebdo 2015 TV Movie Herself
C à vous 2011-2015 TV Series Herself
Great Performances 2014 TV Series Herself - Musical guest
Thé ou café 2001-2014 TV Series Herself
La parenthèse inattendue 2014 TV Series Herself
Hier encore 2014 TV Series Herself
Passion Verdi 2013 TV Movie documentary
The Metropolitan Opera HD Live 2007-2013 TV Series Herself - Host / Herself - Star from next attraction 'Giulio Cesare' / Herself - Lucia from first night gala 'Lucia di Lammermoor'
Salut les Terriens 2012 TV Series Herself
Traviata et nous 2012 Documentary Violetta
Les victoires de la musique classique 2003-2012 TV Series Herself
Avant-premières 2012 TV Series Herself
Gala de l'union 2011 TV Series Herself
La grande librairie 2011 TV Series Herself
Vivement dimanche prochain 2011 TV Series Herself
Giordano hebdo 2011 TV Series Herself
Vous aurez le dernier mot 2009 TV Series Herself
On n'est pas couché 2006-2009 TV Series Herself
Café Picouly 2008 TV Series Herself
T'empêches tout le monde de dormir 2008 TV Series Herself
Eine große Nachtmusik 2007 TV Series Herself
Ce soir (ou jamais!) 2006 TV Series Herself
On a tout essayé 2006 TV Series Herself
Joyeux Noël: La musique du film 2005 Video documentary short Herself
Tout le monde en parle 2005 TV Series Herself
20h10 pétantes 2005 TV Series Herself
On ne peut pas plaire à tout le monde 2004 TV Series Herself
Pavarotti Plus! Sixth Edition 1994 TV Special Soprano

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