Internationally-renowned Metropolitan Opera star Victoria Livengood is a GRAMMY Award-winning mezzo-soprano that has been hailed by audiences and critics worldwide for her multi-faceted and powerhouse performances in a remarkably varied repertoire. From the opera stage to the concert stage, critics have lauded her poignant interpretations of a gallery of characters, and describe her "rich, ruby-red voice" as "liquid silk." Victoria has been acclaimed by the New York Times as "naturally seductive and vocally alluring." Opera News raved that "her singing and acting radiate intensity," the German press declared her "the ideal Carmen of our time," the Italian press proclaimed that "the power of her voice could straighten the Tower of Pisa," the Boston Phoenix Magazine compared her acting to Joan Crawford and her singing to Maria Callas and the Buenos Aires Herald named her "one of the leading singer-actresses of her generation." She was part of the cast of "Corigliano: The Ghosts Of Versailles," winner of the 2016 GRAMMY Award for "Best Opera Recording" (James Conlon, conductor; Joshua Guerrero, Christopher Maltman, Lucas Meachem, Patricia Racette, Lucy Schaufer & Guanqun Yu; Blanton Alspaugh, producer (LA Opera Orchestra; LA Opera Chorus), Label: Pentatone Music). Victoria's enormous versatility has allowed her to sing over 80 different roles with opera companies throughout Europe, South America, Canada, Asia and the United States. Nevertheless, it is in America that this Dixie Diva has spent the bulk of her career that spans over 30 years. Besides her frequent performances at the Metropolitan Opera, the mezzo made a highly successful debut with the New York City Opera in Mark Adamo's Lysistrata following her Houston Grand Opera debut in the world premiere of the same production. Also in high demand as a concert artist with symphonies around the world, Victoria's credits are no less dazzling, having performed in New York's Carnegie Hall on ten separate occasions. Ms. Livengood has also been featured with the London Symphony and the symphony orchestras of Taipei, Atlanta, Minnesota, Baltimore, San Diego, Honolulu, Memphis, Tucson and Jacksonville. As a devoted recitalist, Ms. Livengood has been hailed as "gold-medal caliber, breathtaking, mesmerizing and emotionally charged" at such venues as the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian Institute, and New York City's Alice Tully and Avery Fisher halls. She has been heard in concert in Paris, Venice, Verona, Milan, Kiev, Odessa, St. Petersburg and Moscow as well as in the Caribbean on the Queen Elizabeth II, and has performed on numerous occasions as part of the "Meet the Artists" series at Lincoln Center. Victoria made her debut in Kingston, Jamaica, singing a concert for their "Feast of Music" Festival. She also had the honor of singing memorial concerts for her dear friend and mentor, Gian Carlo Menotti, in both Monte Carlo and in Spoleto, Italy for a live television broadcast. She gave the world premiere performance of the Academy Award-winning song "When You Believe" from The Prince of Egypt, for Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks Pictures and has performed the National Anthem for the New York Mets' baseball game and for the opening of the North Carolina Senate meetings. She also serenaded world famous tenor Luciano Pavarotti at a dinner in his honor for Opera Company of North Carolina. Furthermore, she has lent her talents in concerts to benefit the Leukemia Society, the Epilepsy Foundation, the homeless shelters of New York and Ohio, various hospital guilds, YMCA associations, the Foundation for Children with Aids and the North Carolina Baptist Children's Homes. Dr. Livengood holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Masters of Music degree from the Boston Conservatory of Music. Both of her alma maters have honored her with the Distinguished Alumni of the year award and she has also been the guest speaker at the commencement ceremonies for both alma maters. Victoria also holds an honorary doctorate degree from Jacksonville University where she served as an Artist in Residence. The "Dixie Diva" is also an inductee into the North Carolina Musicians Hall of Fame alongside such greats as Andy Griffith, James Taylor, Charlie Daniels and Kate Smith. She has served as a judge for many international vocal competitions including the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in North Carolina and in Boston, the NATS competition in North Carolina, The Queens Opera competition in NYC and the Washington International Vocal Competition. Victoria also serves on the board of overseers for The Boston Conservatory of Music and serves on the board of the Buck Hill Skytop Music Festival. Ms. Livengood's extensive discography includes her GRAMMY-nominated performance with the London Symphony in Edward Thomas' Desire under the Elms as well as the Thomas Pasatieri Songbook and Adler's AIDS Requiem, all for Albany Records. She has recorded Menotti's The Consul and Prokofiev's War and Peace for the Chandos label, both with Richard Hickox conducting as well as EMI's Oberon with Ben Heppner, Deborah Voigt, and conductor James Conlon. Her solo releases include Piercing Eyes for Albany Records as well as four live recital recordings entitled We Gather Together, Simple Gifts, Opening Night and The Secret of Christmas. Her crossover gospel recordings include On Holy Ground and Ten Thousand Joys! Victoria will also be featured in three roles for the LA Opera's recording of The Ghosts of Versailles to be released in the near future. Having been inspired by her travels around the world, Victoria is also the designer of a line of diva fashion accessories called "Opening Night." She is married to her high school sweetheart, Scott Hester, and the couple resides in Mint Hill, North Carolina. For more detailed information about the Dixie Diva, Victoria Livengood, please visit her official web site at www.victorialivengood.com.