Soprano Catalina Cuervo to perform with ESO in concert
Colombian-born soprano Catalina Cuervo will appear on Elgin Symphony Orchestra's "Sounds of the Season" at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way in downtown Elgin.
Cuervo will perform "Jornadas," a suite of three Spanish carols: "La Jornada" from Venezuela, about the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem; "El Cant del Ocells" from Catalonia, about the journey of birds to see the newborn King; and "De Tierra Lejana Venimos" from Puerto Rico, about the journey of the Wise Men.
She also will sing "Exsultate Jubilate," "Carol of the Birds," "Toyland," and "O Holy Night" with the Elgin Master Chorale.
Resident conductor Stephen Squires will lead the concerts, which also feature the Elgin Master Chorale and the Midwest Dance Collective.
The program also includes a singalong, a visit from Santa, and a cameo appearance by Elgin Symphony Orchestra Music Director Andrew Grams.
Mama Lee's Gourmet Popcorn will be selling popcorn. There is convenient free parking or $10 valet service. The concerts are sponsored by Wells Fargo Advisors, W.R. Meadows and Welmed. Season sponsors are Otto Engineering and John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc.
For tickets, which are $35-$55, visit www.elginsymphony.org or call (847) 888-4000.
Known as the "Fiery Soprano," Catalina Cuervo holds the distinction of having performed the most productions of Piazzolla's "Maria de Buenos Aires" in the world in the history of the opera. Cuervo has performed the role of "Maria" for numerous prestigious companies, including Florida Grand Opera, The Atlanta Opera, Cincinnati Opera, and Syracuse Opera, to name a few of about 15 productions.
Cuervo did her debut in Detroit with much success as Frida Kahlo in the revival of the opera "Frida" with Michigan Opera Theater in 2015 and then with Cincinnati Opera for their 2017 season. This opera gave her a huge following in the state of Michigan and Cincinnati, and both ended with all sold-out shows and triumphant reviews in both cities, one even calling "Frida" best opera of the 2015 season.
"Frida" will be presented next in Miami with Florida Grand Ópera, March 2019. As a consequence, Catalina was named one of the 5 most successful "Colombian Sopranos in the Opera World" by the Ministry of Culture of Colombia.
Other recent roles include Adriana in the Zarzuela "Los Gavilanes," and Hanna in the operetta "The Merry Widow" with La Fundacion Manzur in Bogota, Colombia. Before that Amapola in the Zarzuela "La Leyenda del Beso" and the role of Musetta in "La Boheme" with La Fundación Prolirica in Medellin, as well as "Magda" in Puccini's "La Rondine" as a young artist for Chicago Opera Theater.
Cuervo was a finalist at the Neue Stimmen International Singing Competition in Germany and won the Graduate Division of the Chicago Area for the Classical Singer Competition, as well as being a finalist in New York for the same.
2017 was the year of Manuel De Falla for Cuervo. In May, she did her symphonic debut with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra with the piece "The Three Cornered Hat." Followed by "El Amor Brujo" debuting with the New Mexico Philharmonic, the Atlanta Symphony and San Louis Symphony. In 2017, Catalina made her debut with Atlanta Opera, Mill City Opera, New Orleans Opera, The Atlanta Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Detroit Symphony and New Mexico Symphony.
Her upcoming performances in 2018 will be with Eugene Opera, Alamo City Ópera, Polonia, Arizona Ópera, New Mexico Philharmonic and Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
Besides singing, Catalina Cuervo is also a model, fitness enthusiast and dancer.
Visit catalinacuervo.com to learn more.