Nina Edwards
Biography

American soprano Nina Edwards is one of the most promising Verdian sopranos of her generation. A graduate of the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, Ms. Edwards appeared there as Amelia in Un Ballo In Maschera:

“Nina Edwards crowned her AVA career with a regal Amelia. Her big, shining soprano opened up with thrilling effect in the climactic moments, but also poured out seamlessly in lyrical cantilena.”  Opera News Magazine

During her years at the Academy of Vocal Arts, Ms. Edwards also sang Donna Anna in Don Giovanni and the title roles in Ariadne auf Naxos and Suor Angelica.

Her professional debut was with Buffalo Opera in the role of Aida, which has since become her signature role:

“At center stage, where it counts most, soprano Nina Edwards was magnificent vocally in the title role of the Ethiopian Princess Aida, in servitude to Egyptian Princess Amneris. Edwards’ soprano was clear as a bell in all registers and was capable of compelling power when needed but just as convincing in projecting hushed, pianissimo passages. She also sang with a supple mobility and her voice focused well for audibility throughout the cavernous Shea’s Auditorium.” The Buffalo News

Ms. Edwards has sung Verdi’s, Messa di Requiem with the Monmouth Civic Orchestra and the New Mexico Symphony. She was also a featured soloist with the Miami (Florida) Orchestra.

Spanish audiences were thrilled at Barcelona’s open-air 17,000 seat Olympic Stadium as she added yet another Aida to her growing resume, sharing the role with soprano Michèle Crider. Subsequent performances of Aida include her Italian debut at the Teatro Massimo di Palermo with famed tenor Jose Cura as Radames and at the Teatro Municipal in Santiago, Chile.

Italy and Aida beckoned once again and Ms. Edwards made two important debuts at the Gran Teatro La Fenice di Venezia and at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma (also featuring soprano, Maria Guleghina). While in Italy, she sang several concerts of all American music with the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano /Giuseppe Verdi in Milan.

Ms. Edwards was summoned to South America where she stepped in to sing the role of Ilara in Gomez’ Lo Schiavo replacing Aprile Millo. The opera toured seven major cities in Brazil including Rio de Janeiro and São Paolo. While in South America, Opera Brazil featured her in recital where she sang Negro Spirituals and selections from Porgy and Bess and Tosca. She reprised the role of Ilara in concert version at the Amalfi Coast Music Festival. The Amalfi audiences were delighted when Ms. Edwards sang a dual recital of Negro spirituals, which was also taped for RAI television. This recital was reprised the following summer at the Shaker Mountain Performing Arts Festival in the Berkshires accompanied by the Albany Symphony. She graciously returned to Shaker Mountain to sing the role of Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana.

She has also sung the role of Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera at Bogota's Teatro Colón:

“Nina Edwards, as Amelia, sang this role in the grandest of styles. She sounded at times like the great Martina Arroyo in her prime.” El Tiempo

She soon returned to Bogota to sing her signature role of Aida.

This season she once again sings Aida with the Lyric Opera in Dublin, Ireland.

This outstanding artist has garnered numerous accolades and awards from several competitions and foundations, including The Luciano Pavarotti International Vocal Competition, the Gerda Lissner Foundation, the Liederkranz Foundation Competition, the Sullivan Foundation, the Mario Lanza Competition, the Clarisse B. Kampel Foundation, the Olga Forrai Foundation and the National Association of Negro Musicians, the BEEM Foundation, and The Young Musicians Foundation. She was a two-time Eastern Region Metropolitan Opera finalist, and second place Eastern Region Metropolitan Opera winner.