On Sunday, March 25th, Sally Wolf will hold her annual master class in the Lang Music Center. The event begins at 2:00pm and will feature several Swarthmore student singers. It is free and open to the public.

Soprano Sally Wolf has led a decorated career spanning over 30 years. She received her vocal training from renowned sopranos Donna Pegors and Margaret Harshaw, and holds an Opera Diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music. She was the recipient of a 1981 National Opera Institute Grant, placed first in the 1980 San Francisco Opera Auditions, and was a 1986 winner in the International Pavarotti Competition in Philadelphia. She was also awarded Seattle Opera’s “Artist of The Year” in 1992. She has earned widespread critical acclaim for her roles as Norma at Seattle Opera and Florida Grand Opera, Mimi (La Boheme) at Seattle Opera, Violetta (La Traviata) with Opera du Rhin in Strasbourg, and Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor) with Seattle Opera. She is also an accomplished interpreter of Mozart’s repertoire, including Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) with Frankfurt Opera, and Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) at New York City Opera and Los Angeles Opera, among others. A former interpreter of Queen of the Night (Die Zaubeflöte), she performed the role 192 times in some of the world’s most prestigious opera houses.

Ms. Wolf is a master of coloratura, an elaborate vocal style that is usually sung by sopranos. Coloratura singing is dramatic and dynamic, combining runs, trills, wide leaps, and other difficult techniques. Her skill in this regard is part of what makes her such a sought-after instructor. Although coloratura is used primarily by sopranos, it has universal applications in vocal coaching. It combines melody with a number of inventive styles, and once its principles are mastered, they can be used to embellish and ornament almost any piece of music. Ms. Wolf is able to separate and combine these skills as she teaches, producing multi-layered classes that construct and deconstruct simultaneously. It is for this reason that her teaching is as infamous as her own career.

She has also provided meaningful contributions to Swarthmore’s vocal program over the years. In addition to her annual master class, she teaches at the Florence Opera Seminar each year alongside Swarthmore vocal coach Debra Scurto-Davis. Student vocalists from Swarthmore often attend this seminar, learning valuable skills from both teachers in the beautiful Italian city. Sally Wolf is one of the world’s premier vocalists, and Swarthmore students should not hesitate to take advantage of all she has to offer.

Gabriel Hearn-Desautels ’20