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DR. KAREN COKER MERRITT — Gŵyl Beaumaris Festival
Talk: ‘The Evolution of the Female Opera Singer in America’
A native of North Carolina, Karen Coker Merritt received her Master of Music degree from the University of NC at Greensboro, and her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance at Florida State University. She began her professional operatic career with Pittsburgh Opera, studying as an apprentice with opera legends such as Renata Scotto, Régine Crespin, and Renée Fleming. She made her professional operatic debut with Baltimore Opera in 2003.  International engagements have included a tour of England with Opera North of the UK’s production of Kurt Weill’s One Touch of Venus, starring as Venus. She reprised this role at the Ravenna Festival in Italy, and at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London. She has performed in numerous oratorio, recital and concert engagements throughout New York City, and starred as Rosalinda in Opera New York’s Off-Broadway production of Tales from the Manhattan Woods. Her recent performances include the roles of Tatiana in Eugene Onegin, and Love Simpson in Carlisle Floyd’s Cold Sassy Tree, coached by the composer himself. Dr. Merritt currently serves as Assistant Professor of Voice at Stetson University, where she joined the faculty in 2016.
Yn dod o Ogledd Carolina, derbyniodd Karen Coker Merritt ei gradd Feistr mewn Cerddoriaeth o Brifysgol Gogledd Carolina yn Greensboro, a’i Doethuriaeth mewn Celfyddydau Cerddorol gyda ffocws ar Berfformiadau Lleisiol ym Mhrifysgol Talaith Florida. Dechreuodd ei gyrfa broffesiynol operatig gydag Opera Pittsburgh, yn astudio fel prentis gyda ffigyrau megis Renata Scotto, Régine Crespin, a Renée Fleming. Ymddangosodd yn gyntaf fel canwr opera proffesiynol gydag Opera Baltimore yn 2003. Mae ei pherfformiadau rhyngwladol wedi cynnwys taith o gwmpas Lloegr gydag Opera North yn canu rhan Venus yn eu cynhyrchiad o One Touch of Venus gan Kurt Weill. Dychwelodd i’r rhan hon yng Ngŵyl Ravenna yn yr Eidal, ac yn Theatr Sadler’s Wells yn Llundain. Mae hi wedi perfformio mewn nifer o oratorio, datganiadau a chyngherddau yn Efrog Newydd, a bu’n canu rhan Rosalinda yng nghynhyrchiad Oddi-ar-Broadway Opera Efrog Newydd o Tales from the Manhattan Woods. Yn ddiweddar, mae hi wedi canu rhan Tatiana yn Eugene Onegin, a Love Simpson yn Cold Sassy Tree gan Carlisle Floyd, wedi’i hyfforddi gan y cyfansoddwr ei hunan. Mae Dr. Merrit yn Athro Cynorthwyol ar gyfer y Llais ym Mhrifysgol Stetson ers iddi ymuno â’r adran yn 2016.