biography
Edyta Kulczak is Principal Resident Artist at The Metropolitan Opera. An internationally renowned mezzo-soprano, Edyta has performed over 300 times at The Met since her 2003 debut as Flora in La Traviata. She has sung many roles under such renowned conductors as James Levine, Placido Domingo, Lorin Maazel and Valery Gergiev and also appears in concerts, recitals and music festivals at some of the world’s leading venues. In addition to her performances, Edyta currently serves as Executive Director of the KF Marcella Sembrich International Voice Competition.
Biography
As Dalila, mezzo-soprano Edyta Kulczak, displayed a voluptuous tone that brought out all of the seductive qualities of the character. (Dalila in Samson et Dalila, C. Saint-Saëns)
...in her performance she evoked the character with her beautiful, dark voice, great musicality and expressive personality. (Carmen, G. Bizet)
Possessing “brilliant and expressive singing with a tremendous sensitivity to character” (Ariadne auf Naxos Boston Musical Intelligencer) Edyta Kulczak has been a principal resident artist at The Metropolitan Opera since her debut as Flora in La Traviata in 2003.
Ms. Kulczak has performed over 300 times at The Metropolitan Opera in productions that include: Aida, Ägyptische Helena, Carmen, La Forza del Destino, Die Frau ohne Schatten, The Gambler, Lucia di Lammermoor, Lulu, Madama Butterfly, The Makropulos Case, Moses und Aron, Le Nozze di Figaro, Parsifal, Rigoletto, Rusalka, Suor Angelica, Le Rossignol, Simon Boccanegra, Il Trovatore, Les Troyens, I Vespri Siciliani, Die Walkürie, Rigoletto. During the 2016/17 season, Ms. Kulczak sang in Cyrano de Bergerac with leading tenor Roberto Alagna. This season, she again received critical acclaim as Flora in La Traviata under the direction of Nicola Luisotti.
At The Metropolitan Opera, she has performed under such illustrious conductors as James Levine, Placido Domingo, Valery Gergiev, Marco Armiliato, Lorin Maazel, Sir Colin Davis; as well as Paolo Arrivabeni, Jiri Belohlávek, Bernard de Billy, Asher Fisch, Friedrich Heider, Vladimir Jurowski, Fabio Luisi, Gianandrea Noseda, Donald Runnicles, Marcello Viotti, Emmanuel Villaume, Pierre Georgio Morandi and Nicola Luisotti.
Ms. Kulczak has also sung leading operatic roles with other opera companies including:
- Dalila, Samson et Dalila, New Orleans Opera (2013), Wroclaw Opera (2009)
- Carmen, Silesian Opera (2013), Wroclaw Opera (2008), Louisiana Symphony Orchestra (2008), Missouri Orchestra (2006)
- Olga, Eugene Onegin, Cincinnati Opera (2011)
- Adalgisa, Norma, Tulsa Opera (2011)
- Der Komponist, Ariadne auf Naxos, Boston Lyric Opera (2010)
- Venus, Tannhäuser, Teatr Wielki Poznań (2010)
- Preziosilla, La Forza del Destino, Teatr Wielki Poznań (2011) and Fondazione Arturo Toscanini in Busseto in Italy (2001)
- Suzuki, Madama Butterfly, Savonlinna Opera Festival in Finland (2009)
- Rosina, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Santa Barbara Opera (2001)
- Flora, La Traviata, Opera Theater of Saint Louis (2001) and Santa Fe Opera (2002)
- Eduige, Rodelinda, Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara (1999)
Edyta Kulczak, in addition to her operatic engagements frequently appears in concerts, recitals and music festivals at some of the most prestigious venues all over the world. She has sung at Carnegie Hall in New York, Sapporo, Tokyo, Gdańsk Philharmonic, Krakow, Olsztyn Philharmonic, Wroclaw as well as in major festivals including The Santa Fe Festival, Pacific Music Festival (Japan), Aegean Music Festival Orchestra Syros (Greece), Savonlinna Opera Festival (Finland) and The Spoleto Festival in Charleston.
- L. Janáček, Songs with pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, Carnegie Hall, Zankel Hall, New York (2005)
- K. Szymanowski, Pieśni kurpiowskie and Trzy pieśni do słów Dymitra Dawydowa with pianist Steven Eldredge, Carnegie Hall, Weill Hall (2007)
- A. Vivaldi, Gloria, Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium (2010)
- G. Mahler, Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Sinfonia Varsovia, Wratislavia Cantans (2003)
- J. S. Bach, Magnificat, Pacific Music Festival Orchestra Sapporo, Japan (2000)
- G. F. Haendel, Alexander’s Feast, Pacific Music Festival Orchestra, Sapporo, Japan (2000)
- L. van Beethoven, IX Symfonia, Tulsa Performing Arts Center, Oklahoma (2011)
- W. A. Mozart, Missa di Requiem, Aegean Music Festival Orchestra Syros, Greece (2008)
- K. Szymanowski, Stabat Mater, Wratislavia Cantans (2014), Chicago Orchestra (2012), Poland (2014)
- The Metropolitan Opera Gala Concert, The Metropolitan Opera, Suntory Hall, Tokyo, Japan (2000)
- G. Verdi, Requiem, National Forum of Music, Wroclaw, Poland (2014)
- Opera Kraków Operatic Gala, Wawel Castle, Krakow, Poland (2016)
- New Year's Concert with Ernst van Tiel, The Polish Baltic Frédéric Chopin Philharmonic, Gdańsk, Poland (2016)
Edyta Kulczak received her Master of Music degreee in Vocal Performance from the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, studying under Krystyna Szostek-Radkowa. Winning a scholarship, she continued her vocal studies under Elizabeth Fischer and Mignon Dunn (Artist Diploma) at Northwestern University School of Music (1998-2001), at the Music Academy of the West under Marilyn Horne and at Accademia Verdiana in Busseto under Carlo Bergonzi. Ms. Kulczak was awarded first prizes with Barnett Foundation, the National Competition of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Society of American Musicians and the Chicago Bel Canto Foundation Opera Competition, The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Loren Zachary and BBC Cardiff Singer of the World.
