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SOPRANO'S PERFORMANCE ELEVATES SACRAMENTO OPERA'S ‘LA BOHEME'
 "The Sacramento Opera's latest production of Puccini's La Boheme is so winsome that you sit in your seat rooting for it at every turn, like you would a racehorse you've bet the rent on. But, the payout with this "Boheme" is not a big one, save for a standout performance by soprano NaGuanda Nobles in the role of Mimi…. Soprano Nobles proved an expressive actress, but it was with her stellar voice that she made an impact. Her soprano radiates roundly, with no apparent rough edges. It's a credit to Nobles that her Mimi was a powerful presence throughout, yet she kept that power understated in order to sell the idea of a frail and dying consumptive…. In a big city opera house, Nobles' performance would be close to a star-making turn…. In the end, it was Nobles' appearance in this production that was memorable. Her radiant soprano portends a bright career, and it elevated this production from the ordinary. Edward Ortiz – Sacramento Bee; May 8, 2009
"In her Dayton debut as little Liu NaGuanda Nobles displays a surprisingly big, warm soprano with a lovely shimmering top that she uses to ravishing effect in her two major arias. She offers a winning combination of beauty and intensity in her singing. Her death provides one of the most gripping moments of the production, and her return to the stage at the end of the performance prompted a standing ovation". "Engaging Sparks" - Turandot, Eric Street, Dayton City Paper; October 22, 2008.
"At last, a Diva is born" by Richard Scheinin, San Jose Mercury News; June 3, 2007 after her winning the first annual Irene Dalis Vocal Competition; June 1, 2007.
NaGuanda Nobles, acclaimed as a "soprano, who is ripe for the stage" by the Kleine Zeitung in Graz, Austria.
NaGuanda Nobles is Shreveport Opera's 2008 Singer of the Year.
NaGuanda Nobles wins the 2008 Fritz & Lavinia Jensen Foundation Competition.
Like most great singers, Mrs. Nobles began singing within the supportive walls of her home church. It was there she discovered a love for singing and developed as a soloist. As a member of the Georgia Mass Choir, under the direction of Rev. Milton Biggham, she performed in the film The Preacher's Wife. Although she was born in Tallahassee, Florida, Mrs. Nobles attended high school in Thomasville, Georgia, where she began her classical training.
A Florida State University (FSU) graduate, she received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in voice performance. She made her debut on the opera stage as Papagena in a production of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, with the FSU orchestra. Throughout her years of college, Mrs. Nobles was a featured soloist in the Florida State University Singers, directed by Dr. André Thomas. In the summer of 2002, Dr. Thomas invited Mrs. Nobles to be the soprano soloist on the Soul of America tour throughout Germany with the Berlin Rundfunkchor. One of Mrs. Nobles' crowning performances was at her alma mater, as the featured soloist in An Evening With Gershwin concert, with the Tallahassee Community Chorus and Symphony under the baton of Dr. Thomas.
Mrs. Nobles was contracted to participate in the Austin Lyric Opera's (ALO) Young Artist program for the 2002-2003 season and made her ALO debut performing the role of Sister Rose in the Southwestern premiere of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking and was recognized by the San Antonio's Express News as being "one of the standouts among the other singers." The Austin American-Statesman reviewed her performance as "vocally impressive" while the Houston Chronicle reviewed her as one who "sang radiantly". Also during the season she was awarded second place in the Southwest Regional Competition of the Metropolitan Opera National Council in January 2003.
In the fall of 2003, Mrs. Nobles performed the role of Liú in an ALO production of Puccini's Turandot, under the baton of Maestro Peter Bay. She also made her Boston Symphony debut with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, singing the soprano solo in Wynton Marsalis' All Rise, under the baton of Maestro Kurt Masur.
Previously, she was awarded first place in the Opera Birmingham competition and the Classical Singer Convention competition, Division 1, in its inaugural year. She was also privileged to sing the role of Clara in a production of Porgy and Bess with the Pensacola Opera, under the baton of Maestro Jerome Shannon.
In 2005, Mrs. Nobles joined the Pittsburgh Opera Center and proudly performed in the main stage performances of Rigoletto and Ariadne auf Naxos. In January 2006, Maestro Shannon invited Mrs. Nobles to sing an encore performance of Clara with the Mobile Opera. After her Mobile Opera debut, Mrs. Nobles returned to Pittsburgh to perform the role of Atlanta in the Opera Center's production of Xerxes by Handel. She was reviewed as being "outstanding as the bad girl... with a sizeable voice and riveting persona to match" by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Mrs. Nobles performed for a second season with the Pittsburgh Opera Center in the role of Papagena for their Spring, 2007 production of Die Zauberflöte and performed the role of Mimi in La Boheme for Fremont Opera's inaugural season under the baton of Maestro David Sloss in August 2007. In September of 2008 she was a guest soloist for the Fremont Symphony in an evening of George Gershwin music. NaGuanda performed as Liu in Turandot for Dayton Opera in October of 2008 and also covered the role of Clara in Porgy & Bess for Lyric Opera of Chicago from October through December 2008. Mrs. Nobles appeared as Mimi in La Boheme for Maestro Timm Rolek and Sacramento Opera, May 2009 and received one of the finest reviews in the history of the company.
Recent concert appearances as featured soloist include the Fremont Symphony in September 2009 and a Christmas Pops evening with the Stockton Symphony in December 2009. Upcoming appearances for Ms. Nobles include Clara in Porgy & Bess for Dayton Opera, September 30 - October 31, 2010 and for Atlanta Opera, February 1 - March 6, 2011; Liu in Turandot for Pittsburgh Opera, March 7 - April 3, 2011; and Mimi in La Boheme for Dayton Opera, October 2011.
To show her gratitude for those who have helped her to pursue her love for singing, Mrs. Nobles plans to encourage and assist other young artists through the NaGuanda Nobles Scholarship Fund, which will afford deserving students an opportunity to pursue a musical career in vocal performance. Mrs. Nobles' life motto: "If I can help somebody, then my living shall not be in vain."
Member: AGMA
ROLES PERFORMED
MIMI (Hold), La Boheme, Dayton Opera, 2011
LIU, Turandot, Pittsburgh Opera, March 7 - April 3, 2011
CLARA, Porgy & Bess, Atlanta Opera, February 1 - March 6, 2011
CLARA, Porgy & Bess, Dayton Opera, September 30 - October 31, 2010
MIMI, La Boheme, Sacramento Opera, April 2009
CLARA (Cover), Porgy & Bess, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Oct. – Dec 2008
LIU, Turandot, Dayton Opera, Oct. 2008
MIMI, La Boheme, Fremont Opera, August 2007
PAPAGENA, Die Zauberflöte, Pittsburgh Opera, 2007
MIRINDA, L'Ormindo, Pittsburgh Opera Center, 2007
NEDDA (Understudy), Pagliacci, Pittsburgh Opera, 2007
FIORDILIGI (Understudy), Cosi fan tutte, Pittsburgh Opera, 2006
ATALANTA, Xerxes, Pittsburgh opera Center, 2006
CLARA, Porgy & Bess, Mobile Opera, 2006
ECHO, Ariadne auf Naxos, Pittsburgh Opera, 2005
CLARA, Porgy & Bess, Pensacola Opera, 2005
LIU, Turandot, Austin Lyric Opera, 2003
SISTER ROSE, Dead Man Walking, Austin Lyric Opera, 2003
ORATORIO AND CONCERT APPEARANCES AS A SOLOIST
Christmas Pops Concert, Stockton Symphony, December 2010
Fremont Opera Stars, Various Composers, Fremont Opera & Symph., Sept. 2009
Pops Concert, Gershwin & Friends, Fremont Symphony Orchestra, 2008
Mass in C Minor, Mozart, Southminister Presb.,Pittsburgh 2007
A Night at the Opera, Stockton Symphony Orchestra, 2007
Exultate Jubilate, Mozart, Southminister Presb., Pittsburgh 2006
All Rise, Wynton Marsalis, Boston Symphony, 2003
Porgy & Bess Concert, George Gershwin, Tallahassee Symphony, 2003
In terra pax, Gerald Finzi, Tallahassee Symphony, 2001
MUSICAL TRAINING
Voice Teachers: Claritha Buggs-Jacobs (current), Elizabeth Manion, Dr. Jerrold Pope, and Barbara Ford.
Voice Coaches: Michael Borowitz, Douglas Fisher, Laura Friesen, Armen Guzelimian, Dr. Timothy Hockman,
Glenn Lewis, Dr. Elden Little, Terry Metzger, Natalia Rivera, Craig Rutenburg, and Mark Trawka.
Conductors: Peter Bay, Richard Buckley, Cornelius Eberhardt, Peter Jaffee, Guido Ajmone-Marsan, Kurt Masur, Joseph
Mechavich, Jerome Shannon, David Sloss, Dr. Andre Thomas, Antony Walker, and Gary Thor Wedow.
Directors: Chris Alexander, Sandra Bernhard, Christopher Harlan-Doerr, Jonathon Eaton, Eric Einhorn, Jonathan Field,
Dr. Robert L. Larsen, Kyle Marrero, Chas Rader-Sheiber, and William Shomos.
EDUCATION
BM in Voice Performance – Florida State University 1999; MM in Voice Performance from Florida State University, 2002.
AWARDS
Winner: 3rd Place & Best American Performance: Iturbi Competition, June 2008; 1st Place: Fritz & Lavinia Jensen Competition, May 2008; 3rd Prize: Gerda Lissner, February 2008; Shreveport Opera "2008 Singer of the Year", Winner: Inaugural Irene Dalis Vocal Competition, June 2007; 2nd Place: Great Lakes Regional Finals – Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, January 2006; Career Advancement Grant: Marian Anderson Competition, November 2005; 3rd Place: Marguerite McCammon Vocal Competition, November 2004; 1st Place: Opera Birmingham Vocal Competition, Mobile Opera Award, 1st Place: Classical Singer Convention – Division 1, May 2004; Career Bridges Finalist, April 2004; Patricia Garrison Blankenship Award and the Peoples Choice Award – Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition, George London Encouragement Award, March 2004; 2nd Place – Southwest regional Finals of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
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