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January 16, 2012 - Carnegie Hall
Soloist - Soprano
Filipina-Spanish coloratura, Antoni Mendezona, is rapidly gaining international success and acclaim for her unique and stunning voice and captivating stage presence. She made her European debut, stepping in at the last minute to perform the international debut of Tobias Picker's Emmeline as Sophie with the Armel Mezzo Television Festival in Szeged, Hungary. The performance was broadcasted live on Mezzo television throughout 36 different countries in Europe and South America. Antoni also stepped in, informed only hours before curtain, to sing the role of Veronique in the New York City premier of Thomas Pasatieri's The Hotel Casablanca, which garnered rave reviews from the New York Times saying "Antoni Mendezona, a last-minute substitute as the hotel clerk Veronique, stole scenes with her pealing voice and bubbly personality".
Most recently, Antoni sang Dorinda in Handel's Orlando with Sacramento Opera in which she was praised as giving a "bold and emotionally deep account of Dorinda" and offering "some of the best dramatic singing". Her other operatic roles include Amore in L'incoronazione di Poppea, Zerlina from Don Giovanni, Le Rossignol from L'enfant et les sortilèges, Flora from The Turn of the Screw with Sacramento Opera, Elisa from Il Re Pastore, Frasquita from Carmen with Connecticut Grand Opera, and La Princessa in El Gato con Botas with Gotham Chamber Opera's puppetry workshop under the direction of Moises Kaufman.
In addition to her operatic performance, Ms. Mendezona has been featured as the Soprano soloist in the Fauré Requiem, Mozart's Vesperae Solennes de Confessore and Allegri's Miserere Mei Deus with the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra. Having an affinity for Bach, she has also sung Cantata BWV 80 Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, his St. John Passion and the Ascension Oratorio with Maestro T. Herbert Dimmock as part of the prestigious Bach Concert Series in Baltimore. Antoni gave an extensive concert tour in the Philippines this past January with a diverse program of major coloratura works, and Kundiman, Filipino traditional art song. Upcoming concerts include Bach's Christmas Oratorio and the Messiah with the Harford Choral Society.
As a participant in competition, Antoni has earned first place in the SJNATS district competition, second in the Fresno Young Vocalist Awards, was a finalist for the Stewart Brady Competition and the recipient of the Young Artist Incentive Award from West Bay Opera's Henry and Maria Holt Competition, and won the Little Italy Merchants Association Honorable Mention award.
Antoni received her Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from California State University of Sacramento and Masters of Music in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy at Westminster Choir College of Rider University. She currently studies voice with Kate Johnson.
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