Leontina vaduva biography of michael

Like many Romanians from all walks of life, soprano Leontina Vaduva [pronounced VAH-doo-vah] has left her native country and made a home for herself and her family in the West.  Singing French and Italian roles, Vaduva pleases critics and charms audiences wherever she goes.  In 1988, she won the Laurence Olivier Award for 'Outstanding Achievement in Opera' for her portrayal of Manon at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden.

Her growing discography of complete roles includes Mimì in La Bohème on EMI, Antonia in Les Contes d'Hoffmann on Erato, and Gilda in Rigoletto on Teldec with fellow-Romanian Alexandru Agache [see his interview  in The Opera Journal of December, 2001], plus an opera recital conducted by Plácido Domingo.  Videos include Juliette in the Gounod opera with Roberto Alagna, and Micaela in Carmen, conducted by Zubin Mehta, both from Covent G