Ewa Podleś was one of the world's leading contraltos, equally successful in the worlds of opera and concert music. Her voice possessed the rich, flexible, perhaps even masculine, quality that separates the true contralto from the mezzo-soprano, which invited comparison to the likes of Marilyn Horne, Kathleen Ferrier, and Marian Anderson. Her range, both musically and vocally, made her successful in a variety of genres and styles, including the operas of Rossini and Verdi, the songs of Chopin, and a broad selection of Russian repertoire. Podleś was born in Warsaw on April 26, 1954. The daughter of a successful Polish contralto, she first attracted attention while still a student in Warsaw, where she was engaged by the local company to sing Rosina in Rossini's Barber of Seville. Her career developed quickly, and she began to make international appearances as early as 1982. The lighter quality that characterized Podleś' voice early on allowed for excellent performances of such roles as Rossini's Cenerentola and Bizet's Carmen as well as some lighter Russian roles. However, as her voice developed, it took on a more characteristic dark quality that opened up a wider selection of parts, including Verdi's Eboli (Don Carlos) and Ulrica (Un Ballo in maschera). Her signature performance for some time was the title role in Rossini's Tancredi. She also sang La Donna del Lago and L'Italiana in Algeri. Podleś had a very effective recital program called "Rossini Arias for Contralto," which she sang with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra at New York's Carnegie Hall. Podleś' recordings were well received, including a disc of Chopin songs with pianist Garrick Ohlsson, Melodies Russes (Grand Prix de l'Academie Française du Disque), and Tancredi (nominated for a Grammy). Podleś died on January 19, 2024; she was 71 years of age. ~ TiVo Staff