Biography
A native of Philadelphia and a soprano of exceptional promise, Megan Monaghan was hailed by Opera News "...A voice of pure silver, easily negotiating coloratura flights of fancy with exquisite musicianship..." as well as "Petite, eye-catching, full of charm and personality...A lustrous soprano, capped with high notes that sparkled like diamonds. Ms. Monaghan is the real-deal and the audience was swept into a frenzy." Performances during the 2011-2012 season include Sylvia in Sweethearts with Concert Operetta Theatre, Micaëla in Carmen with COP Opera, Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter, with the composer, Lori Laitman at Washington's National Museum for Woman in the Arts, "Remembering Romberg" with The Ocean City Pops, The Alice Fulton Songs for Voice and Percussion (*World Premiere), "Silver Gala" as well as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with The Vox Ama Deus Orchestra at the Kimmel Center, "The Songs of Lori Laitman" accompanied by the composer (*World Premiere of "Tis Philosophy") on the Shenson Chamber Music Series, as well as recitals with her voice and guitar/lute duo, Due Colori. Ms. Monaghan began the 2010-2011 season with a return to Lincoln Center for performances of Stella in I Gioielli della Madonna with Teatro Grattacielo. She sang her first Marguerite in Faust, and Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Intermountain Opera. Ms. Monaghan began this concert season with a recital tour of Mexico with her voice and guitar/lute duo, Due Colori. Additional concert work this season included Bach's B Minor Mass with The Vox Amadeus Orchestra at the Kimmel Center, as well as a concert of the music of Lori Laitman accompanied by the composer.
Highlights of the 2009-2010 season included her debut with Nashville Opera singing Gilda in Rigoletto, and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro with The Vox Ama Deus Orchestra at the Kimmel Center. Concert work included featured performances in The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra's Gershwin Gala, Annapolis Opera's Opera Lite Concert, and Mozart's Missa in C minor with The Vox Ama Deus Orchestra.
In the 2008-2009 season, Ms. Monaghan was highly acclaimed for her interpretation of the title role in The Merry Widow with Dayton Opera. Ms. Monaghan also appeared as Donna Elvira in Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra's Don Giovanni. Concert highlights included featured performances on Teatro Grattacielo's An Evening of Wolf-Ferrari, and Concert Operetta Theatre’s The Music of the American Operetta.
Performances during the 2007-2008 season included Euridice in L'Orfeo in a return engagement with Glimmerglass Opera, Musetta in Opera Pacific's La Bohème, Ah-Joe (c) in Teatro Grattaciello's L'Oracolo at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, as well as a recording of Lori Laitman's new opera, The Scarlet Letter, with the composer. In addition, Ms. Monaghan's 2007-2008 concert highlights included a recital, The Music of George Crumb, in a collaboration with the composer.
Performances during the 2006-2007 season included Mabel in Glimmerglass Opera's The Pirates of Penzance, Juliette in both Anchorage Opera and Wichita Grand Opera's Roméo et Juliette, and Gilda in Rigoletto with both Madison Opera and Bob Jones University Opera.
Highlights in the 2005-2006 season included Ms. Monaghan's Alice Tully Hall debut at Lincoln Center debut singing Floriana in Zazà. Other performances included Micaëla in Carmen with Dayton Opera, Papagena in Die Zauberflöte with Madison Opera, and Gilda (c) in Rigoletto with Florida Grand Opera. Concert work included performances on Pacific Symphony's Symphony in the Cities, Handel's Messiah with Columbus Symphony, and Madison Symphony's A Night of Berstein.
Ms. Monaghan’s engagements during the 2004-2005 season included a debut at the Teatro Argentina in Rome Italy, singing Cunegonde in Candide, Clomiri in Handel’s Imeneo at Glimmerglass Opera, Barbarina and Susanna (c) in Le Nozze di Figaro with Opera Pacific, Abigail in The Crucible with Lyric Opera Cleveland, as well as Gilda in Rigoletto with both Dayton Opera and Eugene Opera. Concert work included performances on the Belle Voci Concert with Eugene Orchestra, The Three Divas Concert with Dayton Philharmonic, as well as Adele in Die Fledermaus with Pacific Symphony. In addition, Megan also recorded Maestro Lorin Maazel’s new opera 1984 with the conductor before its’ premiere at Covent Garden.
Other notable performances include being the featured soloist in a concert at the White House for President George Bush, as well as concerts at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully, Avery Fisher, and Frederick P. Rose recital halls. Ms. Monaghan also sang the role of Musetta in a special performance of La Bohème held at the historical home of Giacomo Puccini in Lucca, Italy.Ms. Monaghan has been awarded first place honors in such solo competitions as the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions of both the Southern Ohio and Southern California districts, Agnes Fowler Competition and the Klose-Seybold Opera Competition. Nominated by Glimmerglass Opera, Ms. Monaghan is the recipient of the Richard F. Gold Career Grant. Megan Monaghan is a master’s graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Barbara Honn.