Kristina Valcarce (as The Queen of the Night; performed with Los Angeles Philharmonic, Feb 2006)
Born in Brooklyn, Ms. Valcarce learned about music from her Dad, a guitar player in local rock bands. When she started learning about classical music, she realized that opera singers got the most attention – so she became determined to be one. Her first role was at the age of 21, singing Livio in Alessandro Scarlatti’s opera “Eraclea”. She has since performed with many orchestras and ensembles, including The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pasadena Lyric Opera, Opera of the Foothills, Lyric Opera of Los Angeles, ProVoce, the New Valley Symphony, Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church of Glendale’s Cantebury Choir, the Choir of Saint James in the City, and the San Gabriel Valley Choral Company. She's also a Mom and loves it, despite the fact that her school aged daughter is her toughest critic.
Recently Ms. Valcarce sang in Disney Hall; playing the Queen of the Night in the LA Phil Educational Outreach Program’s production of “Mozart’s Birthday Party”.
Ms. Valcarce has also taught and performed with the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra’s Educational Outreach Program: TEMPO.
In 2002 Ms. Valcarce helped found Opera of the Foothills. She served on the board of directors, and sang the principal roles of Adela (Adele) in Bat Out of Hell (Die Fledermaus), and Die Königen der Nacht in Die Zauberflöte. She also sang The Queen of the Night with the New Valley Symphony in 2004. In May of 2004 she sang the role of Maguelonne in Pauline Viardot’s Cendrillon with Lyric Opera of Los Angeles.
Kristina Valcarce began singing with Pasadena Lyric Opera in 1998, first singing in the ensemble and going on to sing principal roles. Her first principal role with the company was Frasquita in Carmen. The following season she sang Die Königen der Nacht in Die Zauberflote, Olympia in The Tales of Hoffman, and the Secretary in a special presentation of Michael Canales’ new opera Color of Vengeance. She also sang Musetta and Zerlina.
Ms. Valcarce has sung in many concerts, recitals and workshops with ProVoce, the highlight being having sung the role of Le Rossignol in their production of L’Enfant et les Sortileges.
In 1997, she received the J. Arthur Myers Sr. and J. Arthur Myers Jr. Award from the Glendale Music Teachers Association. She studies with Dr. Kathleen Roland. She was the soprano section leader and soloist at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church of Glendale for 8 years, where she has sung the soprano solos in Mozart’s Missa Brevis in C, Haydn’s Jugendmesse, Haydn’s Stabat Mater, Charpentier’s Petite Messe de Noel, and Pergolesi’s Miserere II. She is enjoying her seventh season as a staff singer at the prestigious choir of Saint James Episcopal Church on Wilshire.
Kristina received her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Purchase College Conservatory of Music. Here, she sang the roles of Cathleen in Riders to the Sea, Clara in Signor Deluso and Livio in Eraclea. She won the Irving and Geraldine Schaeffer Award while at Purchase. Immediately afterward she attended the Mannes College of Music, where she received her Masters in Music. Here, she sang the role of Susanna in the first two acts of Le Nozze di Figaro, as well as the Novice and Lay Sister in Suor Angelica.
In past seasons, Ms. Valcarce has sung multiple roles in the Sierra Madre Playhouse’s production of A Christmas Carol Story. She’s also performed with the successful caroling group “The Voices of Christmas.”