Victoria
Lawal
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Recent Highlights
Description
Longtime Heartbeat artist Emma Jaster takes the reins to direct her bold vision of Ethan Heard and Jacob Ashworth’s original adaptation, featuring a tight ensemble cast of six singers and six players. Daniel Schlosberg’s arrangement explodes the haunting world of Verdi’s score with electronics, live processing, and a complete sonic reimagining of the witches’ voices. Victoria made a jump-in, in a supporting role, flying into New York City on opening night.
Victoria Lawal
Sister
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Kenneth Stavert
Macbeth
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Lisa Algozzini
Lady Macbeth
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Description
This electric event shines a spotlight on Opera Theatre’s Richard Gaddes Festival Artist and Gerdine Young Artist Programs as these rising opera stars perform iconic melodies from opera’s greatest hits and cherished rarities. Center Stage is curated by Patricia Racette, Artistic Director of Young Artist Programs, and James Robinson, Artistic Director of Opera Theatre of St. Louis.
Victoria Lawal
Liza (Pique Dame)
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Victoria Lawal
Liza (Pique Dame)
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Description
This electric event shines a spotlight on Opera Theatre’s Richard Gaddes Festival Artist and Gerdine Young Artist Programs as these rising opera stars perform iconic melodies from opera’s greatest hits and cherished rarities. Center Stage is curated by Patricia Racette, Artistic Director of Young Artist Programs, and James Robinson, Artistic Director of Opera Theatre of St. Louis.
Victoria Lawal
Mrs. Fiorentino
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Victoria Lawal
Mrs. Fiorentino
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Description
Love makes fools of us all. Guglielmo and Ferrando insist that their girlfriends Fiordiligi and Dorabella could never fall for other men. When Don Alfonso and Despina team up to prove the young couples wrong, things are primed for an epic battle of the sexes. Set to some of Mozart’s most beautiful music, Così fan tutte embraces the line between romantic comedy and social satire. Victoria covers the role of Despina.
Victoria Lawal
Despina
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Vanessa Becerra
Despina
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Description
Although Treemonisha was published in 1911, Joplin never lived to see a fully realized stage production. In a new production by Joplin's score is married with an original prologue and epilogue by Composer Damien Sneed and Librettist Karen Chilton. This new adaptation highlights the biography of Scott Joplin and the muse who inspired his work. Victoria covers the leading role of Treemonisha and Joplin's wife, Freddie Alexander.
Victoria Lawal
Treemonisha
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Yazid Gray
Luddud
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Phillip Bullock
Performer
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The young and innocent Susannah lives with her brother in a small town in the American Appalachia. One fateful day, men from her church happen to spot her bathing in a stream and begin to spread vicious rumors about her. As gossip circulates, the community turns their back on Susannah, forcing her to choose between conformity and isolation. Victoria joins Maestra Gemma New and Director Patricia Racette covering the role of Mrs. Hayes.
Victoria Lawal
Mrs. Hayes
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William Guanbo Su
Olin Blitch
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Rachel Barg
Mrs. Ott
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Description
Participants from the Manetti Shrem Summer Vocal Conservatory join musicians from Festival Orchestra Napa at the Jackson Family Wines Amphitheater for a selection of scenes from favorite operas as well as undiscovered treasures.
Victoria Lawal
Magda (La Rondine)
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Victoria Lawal
Magda (La Rondine)
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Description
The stellar cast includes soprano Serena Sáenz as norina, tenor Xabier Aduaga as Ernesto, tenor Alexey Lavrov as Dr. Malatesta, and baritone Lucas Meachem as Don Pasquale. Constantine Orbelian leads Festival Orchestra Napa in this enduring tale of love and deception. Jean-Romain Vesperini directs. Victoria covers the role of Norina.
Victoria Lawal
Norina
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Description
Participants from the Manetti Shrem Summer Vocal Conservatory join musicians from Festival Orchestra Napa at the Jackson Family Wines Amphitheater for a selection of scenes from favorite operas as well as undiscovered treasures.
Victoria Lawal
Lucrezia Borgia (Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia)
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Victoria Lawal
Lucrezia Borgia (Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia)
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Description
Participants from the Manetti Shrem Summer Vocal Conservatory join musicians from Festival Orchestra Napa at the Jackson Family Wines Amphitheater for a selection of scenes from favorite operas as well as undiscovered treasures.
Victoria Lawal
Contessa (Le nozze di Figaro)
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Victoria Lawal
Contessa (Le nozze di Figaro)
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Victoria makes house and role debuts with Tulsa Opera in the role of High Priestess in Verdi's Aida. Lawal joins Michelle Bradley, Limmie Pullam, Morris Robinson, and Michelle DeYoung, Led by Maestra Daniela Candillari. Presented at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.
Victoria Lawal
High Priestess
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Michael Colman
The Pharaoh of Egypt
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Victoria Lawal
Marzelline
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Victoria Lawal
First Lady
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Alison Pogorelc
Director
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Emily Misch
Queen of the Night
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Armando Contreras
Papageno
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Victoria Lawal
Ermengarde (Hello, Dolly!) Sarah (Ragtime)
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Mia Athey
Musical Theater Concert
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Victoria Lawal
Isabelle
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Mia Athey
Phoebe
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Victoria Lawal
Soprano #2
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Mia Athey
Aishah McNair
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Armando Contreras
Lt. Roberto Gonzalez
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Victoria Lawal
Soprano Soloist
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Victoria Lawal
Sabine
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Victoria Lawal
Opal
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Victoria Lawal
Soprano Soloist
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Jennifer Jaroslavsky
Soprano Soloist
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Victoria Lawal
Artist in Residence
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Victoria Lawal
Clorinda
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Victoria Lawal
Helena
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Lawson Anderson
Bottom
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Mer Wohlgemuth
Tytania
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Victoria Lawal
Contessa Almaviva
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Christina Casey-Ray
Cherubino
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Tori Franklin
Contessa Almaviva
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Brittany Olivia Logan
Contessa Almaviva
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Shawna Lucey
Director
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Victoria Lawal
Soprano Soloist
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Biography
In the 2022-23 season, Nigerian-American Soprano Victoria Lawal debuts the role of the High Priestess in Aida with Tulsa Opera led by Maestro Francesco Milioto. On hours notice, Victoria jumped in for opening night and subsequent performances of Heartbeat Opera’s critically acclaimed Lady M. Victoria then joins Opera Theatre of St. Louis for the summer season. Victoria will cover the roles of Despina (Così fan tutte), Mrs. Hayes (Susannah), and the title role in Treemonisha. With the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Lawal will be heard in scenes as Liza in Pique Dame and Mrs. Fiorentino in Street Scene. Victoria will then end the season covering Norina in Don Pasquale at Festival Napa Valley as a Maria Manetti Shrem Fellow. Victoria will also join the Festival Orchestra Napa singing excerpts as Magda (La Rondine), Contessa (Le nozze di Figaro) and the title role of Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia.
In the 2021-2022 season Lawal was seen in recital, joined by pianist Mark Robson in a versatile program featuring songs by Julianna Hall, Respighi, Chabrier, Barber and Theodosia Roussos. On Film, Victoria starred in The Knock, a world premiere, commissioned by The Glimmerglass Festival. Hailed as "Smooth-voiced yet strong" (The New York Times), Lawal debuted the role of Marzelline (Marcy) in Heartbeat Opera's touring production of Fidelio. Victoria then enjoyed a house and role debut as Musetta with Opera Birmingham. After a company debut as Erste Dame in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Victoria returned to Glimmerglass to reprise her role in the 2022 expansion of The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, which features both excerpts from Carmen, and original music by Carlos Simon. Victoria performs as Isabelle/Micaëla alongside Denyce Graves, in the titular role. In tandem, Lawal covered the role of Micaëla in what marks Graves' directorial debut.
Engagements impacted by the global pandemic include Beethoven's Mass in C, Mozart's Requiem, and two World Premieres. With Beth Morrison Projects, Victoria was engaged to workshop the role of Sabine in Adoration and was to join Helsinki's Sibelius Academy, creating the role of Svitlana in All the truths we cannot see, depicting the 1986 Chernobyl Crisis.
Highlights of the 2019-2020 season included debut with the Angeles Chorale singing Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, a role debut as Helena in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream and originating the role of Opal in the World Premiere of The Body Female, commissioned by LA Opera.
Victoria has trained at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, The Glimmerglass Festival, The Banff Centre, The Aspen Music Festival, SongFest, Boston University and the University of Southern California. Victoria currently unpacks and repacks her suitcase in Detroit, with her Tenor partner, River Guard and their cat Bijou.
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