Education
AD, Academy of Vocal Arts
MM, Eastman School of Music
BM, Loyola College of Music of New Orleans
CHERIE CALUDA, soprano, has established herself as a champion interpreter of contemporary works with her beautiful voice and stunning technique. As a faculty artist at The Hartt School of the University of Hartford, she has collaborated with numerous composers to perform their works, including Sparrows with Pulitzer Prize-winning Joseph Schwantner and Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems by Bob Dylan with Academy Award-winning John Corigliano. Ms. Caluda’s recording, I dwell in Possibility, was released in 2014. Through the exquisite settings of Emmy Award-winning John Musto, Hartt’s own Larry Alan Smith and Juliana Hall, she brings the words of American women poets to life. The composers are also featured on the piano performing their pieces with her.
A captivating performer, Ms. Caluda has sung throughout the United States with such companies as the New Orleans Opera, Sarasota Opera, Buffalo Opera, and San Francisco Opera's touring company, Western Opera Theater. Her operatic roles include Pamina and Papagena in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Musetta in Puccini’s La Bohème, Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata, the title role of Massenet’s Manon, Norina in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, Micaëla and Frasquita in Bizet’s Carmen, Tytania in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Antonia in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffman, and Miss Silverpeal in Mozart’s The Impresario. Regarding her Norina, the Philadelphia Inquirer stated that she “…had a glowing sound. More impressive, though, were her accuracy and intonation. The bel canto style of Donizetti’s writing calls for trills, runs, and picking high notes out of nowhere. Caluda managed these feats with power to spare.”
Ms. Caluda’s oratorio repertoire includes Szymanowski’s Stabat Mater, Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Dona nobis pacem, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and Mass in B Minor, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Paukenmesse, Mozart’s Requiem, Regina Coeli K276 and Great Mass in C Minor, Rutter's Requiem and Poulenc's Gloria. Inspired by mentors of her academic years, Martial Singher and Jan DeGaetani, Ms. Caluda’s chamber music repertoire continues to grow; highlights include Schubert’s Der Hirt auf dem Felsen and Auf dem Strom, Chausson's Chanson Perpétuelle, Hindemith's cantata, Die Serenaden and Ravel’s Chansons madécasses.
Ms. Caluda holds an Artist Diploma from the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. Her Masters of Music was obtained from the prestigious Eastman School of Music where she was also awarded Certificates in both voice and opera. She received her Bachelors of Music from Loyola College of Music of New Orleans, her native city. Ms. Caluda was a finalist in the Gulf Coast Region of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in her final year of undergraduate study. Other awards include the Richard Strauss Award from San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera program and the Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshana Foundation. Ms. Caluda joined the faculty of The Hartt School in 2001. Her students are continuously rewarded with solo opportunities and go on to further their studies at prestigious conservatories.