Opera Soprano Danielle De Niese will perform at a special New Year Celebration Concert at Barnes, Jetwing Colombo Seven on the 6th of January 2023, presented by the Mano Chanmugam Music Foundation in association with Jetwing Hotels.

De Niese, described by the New York Times magazine as “opera’s coolest soprano”, is a ‘performer who’s shredding the classical rulebook with her unique combination of artistic credibility and exotic 21st-century allure’. Having performed to enthralled audiences around the world from the Metropolitan Opera to Covent Garden, she has also performed on stage with LL Cool J and sung in a Ridley Scott movie. At just 16 years old, De Niese also won an Emmy Award as a TV host for L.A. Kids. 

Born in Melbourne, Australia to Sri Lankan parents, De Niese found success as a young child in singing competitions in Australia, before dipping her toes into the world of opera once she moved to America. De Niese made her professional operatic debut at the age of 15 with the Los Angeles Opera. She garnered widespread public attention in 2005 with her performances as Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare at Glyndebourne, England.

De Niese's career has spanned from Baroque music to Handel, Mozart, and contemporary opera premieres at major opera houses worldwide, as well as Broadway (Les Misérables) and film (Hannibal) roles. She has appeared in a number of Baroque opera productions on stage and on DVD, including the Les Arts Florissants production of Jean-Philippe Rameau's Les Indes Galantes. The Daily Mirror Life caught up with Danielle for a chat. Excerpts: 

You have performed in Sri Lanka many times. How does it feel to be back and perform here yet again?
I performed in Sri Lanka first in 2012, and then in 2018, it is wonderful to return again with my whole family to perform in Colombo. There is so much about my cultural life that comes from my parents’ treasured heritage, so even though I was not born or raised in Sri Lanka, the country’s influence is very present in my life through my parents. I remember so many stories my parents told me of their idyllic childhood, they always conjured up a glorious island paradise in my mind’s eye. Each time I come here, I’m reminded that the beautiful dream I imagined is actually real, a glorious island idyll that actually exists. To return to perform is particularly special because of the deep connection my family have with the country and the people. I have felt very privileged to have members of the government and present and former presidents and prime Ministers in attendance. A true moment of cultural pride that means so much to me and our family.

What do you love most about what you do?
I love communicating with people and telling a story. Even in the modern age where there are so many “experiences” competing for consumer attention, nothing can ever replace the magic of a live performance and the raw power of the human voice. I love sharing this experience of storytelling with audiences and am Fortunate to make an international career doing something which I have dreamt of my whole life.

What can the audience expect from your New Year Celebration Concert?
I have performed a lot of amazing repertoire in my previous concerts in Sri Lanka so for my third program I wanted to make sure that every piece was new to Sri Lankan Audiences. I have hand-picked each song on the program, most of them are popular favourites from the operatic and musical theatre repertoire, as well as a few standards as well! There is something for everyone in this program and I am sure audiences will come away humming their favourite tunes from the concert.

Friday's programme comprises pieces from opera and musical theatre, including “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”, a medley of Andrew Lloyd-Webber numbers, Puccini’s O Mio Bambino Caro, “Summertime” by George Gershwin as well as pieces by Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Bizet, Bernstein and Kern. She will be accompanied on the piano by Dilan Angunawela.

The Concert will be held on Friday, the 6th of January at Barnes, Jetwing Colombo Seven from 7.30 pm onwards. Box plan at Jetwing Colombo Seven - LKR 20,000, LKR 18,000 and LKR 15,000.