JENNIFER LARMORE

Happy New Year everybody!

It's incredible to think back on 2011 and everything that has occured! I feel like it was spent in non stop travel, rehearsals and performances with a lot of good success! I will never complain about the work that comes my way! We all lament the time spent away from family and loved ones, especially at holidays or on special occassions, but when one is a performer, one knows the price to be paid.

I was lucky to spend quite a lot of time in Paris this past year! Singing "Alcina" in Vivaldi's ORLANDO FURIOSO at the Theatre des Champs-Elysées allowed me to come home every night to my own bed! Besides, Vivaldi is always fun to sing!  And for something entirely different I sang "Countess Geschwitz" in Berg's LULU at the Bastille. So, I got spoiled working at home as much as I did in 2011!

I lived close to Washington, DC for 7 years in the early part of my career, so it was especially fun to return to sing with the Washington Concert Opera as "Charlotte" in Massenet's WERTHER with Giuseppe Filianotti and Antony Walker conducting.

Recitals have always been a favorite way to perform for me so singing in recital with my long time friend and accompanist, Antoine Palloc at the Frankfurt Opera was a highlight!

2011 saw a milestone for me- I celebrated 25 years of singing! In 1986 I made my European operatic debut as "Sesto" AND "Annio" (one only does that when they're young!) at the Nice Opera. Our production of ORLANDO FURIOSO went all over Europe, Nice being one of the venues, so after a matinee performance, we had a party to celebrate!

In the summer, I went back to a theater very close to my heart--Theater an der Wien--to sing Britten's THE TURN OF THE SCREW and had a wonderful time! It was the first time I had ever sung a role such as that. The character of "Miss Jessel" never developes--she's dead--she's done! She just appears and disappears! I loved being back in the beautiful city of Vienna!

ROYAL MEZZO is a CD I made for Cedille Records which has 4 big blockbuster symphonic/vocal pieces. I love the drama of pieces such as these. One is SHEHERAZADE of Ravel. I had the pleasure of singing it in Tenerife with the orchestra. In Hamburg, I ended the year singing POEME DE L'AMOUR ET DE LA MER and then went to spend the holidays with my family!

I'm hard at work on the book I've been writing about how we singers see the world around us and how we deal with it. People seem to be interested so we'll see!

2012 promises to be wonderful indeed! I know that this is a hard time for everyone and that is why certain contracts are still pending! No one knows if they are going to have the funding or not! But, I'm looking forward to 2 new dramatic roles this year --"Kostelnicka" in JENUFA and "Lady Macbeth" in Verdi's MACBETH--plus lots of good concerts with OpusFive around the world!

I wish you ALL the very best for this new year! Thanks so much for your wonderful support and loyalty! I hope 2012 brings you happiness, good health, prosperity and love.

Maybe we'll see each other at a performance sometime!

Love,

Jennifer