Biography

Nadia Petrella is a gifted young artist who has already performed many leading soprano roles in opera, including “Dido” in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, “Soeur Constance” in Poulenc's Les Dialogues des Carmelites (2007), “Lola” in Douglas Moore's Gallantry, “Catherine” in Ralph Vaughan Williams Riders to the Sea, “Rosina” in Rossini's The Barber of Seville (2008), and the “First Lady” in Mozart's The Magic Flute. In June, 2009, Miss Petrella made her American and International professional débuts reprising the role of "Rosina" in the highly acclaimed Nickel City Opera production of Rossini's The Barber of Seville, performing alongside prominent international artists John Packard as "Figaro", Benjamin Brecher as "Count Almaviva", and Valerian Ruminski as "Basilio". She returned to NCO in June, 2010 to cover Heather Buck in the role of "Gilda" in Verdi's Rigoletto. Upcoming engagements for 2011 include "Michaela" in Carmen with Pellegrini Opera (May, Ottawa, ON), "Mimi" in a concert presentation of Puccini's La Boheme and roles in Ravel's L'enfant et les sortileges at the Manhattan School of Music, and "Lucy" in Menotti's The Telephone with Ottawa Pocket Opera in March.

Miss Petrella is currently pursuing studies toward a Master's Degree in Vocal Performance at The Manhattan School of Music in New York City, under the guidance of renowned soprano Catherine Malfitano. In August of 2010 she was a scholarship participant in Joan Dornemann's Canadian Vocal Arts Institute in Montréal, QC, and last May Miss Petrella was also the recipient of a major sponsorship grant from the Leacross Foundation, through the Ottawa Kiwanis Music Festival, to be used toward her studies at MSM.

With the Opera Lyra Ensemble Miss Petrella appeared in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, the Hamlet of Amboise Thomas, Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro and Verdi's La Traviata. In concert, Miss Petrella has appeared as guest soloist for Theatre lyrique de Gatineau, CAMMAC, Musica Viva and the Carleton University Choir, among other organizations, singing works such as the Vivaldi Gloria, Fauré Requiem and Zelenka Mass. With CAMMAC she was the featured soloist in the 2010 world premiere of Canadian composer Dr. Deirdre Piper's cantata The Canticles of Asaph.

August 2009 found Miss Petrella competing in the Canadian National Music Festival in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where she won third prize in the Vocal category, becoming the first musician from the National Capital Region to place at the national level in over fifteen years. In April of 2008, she won second prize in the highly regarded Ottawa Chamber Orchestra Vocal Competition, and in both June 2008 & 2009, Miss Petrella won her division in the prestigious Ontario Provincial Music Festival. In 2005, she won the Vocal Open Trophy and accompanying prize at the Québec-Ontario Festival of Youth and Music, triumphing over a very competitive field. She has received many other awards and prizes, including The Laura & Harris Arbique Memorial Grant, The Ottawa Welsh Society Award, The Adele Starcher Memorial Award, and The Laurentian Junior Music Club Award, among others.

Miss Petrella has twice been the guest soloist for the Celebration of Life Service, held annually during Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness week and performs for the benefit of charitable organizations whenever she can. She has also appeared frequently in recital and as a guest on recitals of others, including a solo concert in January 2009 at Glebe St. James Church as part of their 2008-2009 concert series. In the summer of 2008, she enjoyed the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica, where she worked with internationally recognized vocal instructor and operatic director Gary E. Burgess. Miss Petrella holds a Bachelor of Music with Honours in Vocal Performance from Carleton University, where she was a student of tenor David MacAdam.