Blog

Meet the Artist: Pamina, Monica Yunus

Who is Pamina? What part does she have in the storyline of The Magic Flute? According to a character analysis posted on harmonia mundi’s website, Pamina is:

“the object of both the noblest and the basest desires (Tamino and Monostatos respectively), she is Tamino’s reward for successfully undergoing his initiation. As the daughter of the Queen of the Night, she is torn between her filial love and her love for Tamino. She plays an active role on the path towards wisdom, leading Tamino behind her in the final trials. Mozart assigned her the most deeply-felt arias, quivering with emotion, sometimes desperate, in which she displays a nobility and resolution that foreshadow the qualities of the heroines of early Romanticism, such as Beethoven’s Leonore or Agathe in Der Freischütz.”

Soprano, Monica Yunus

There is no lady more suited to play a noble heroine than soprano, Monica Yunus. In additional to performing with The Metropolitan Opera, Washington National Opera, and an impressive list of European and U.S. opera companies, “Ms. Yunus is the Co-Director of Sing for Hope, a non-profit organization that mobilizes artists in volunteer service to benefit communities in need. (monicayunus.com/pdfs/biography.pdf)” Please take a moment to learn more about Sing for Hope through the organization’s website.

In the previous calendar year, Opera Omaha has been fortunate to welcome Monica Yunus as a special guest artist at KANEKO and the Joslyn Art Museum. We are thrilled to have Ms. Yunus return to Omaha to sing the role of Pamina in The Magic Flute. More information about the artist and humanitarian is available below and on her website.

The following biography was provided to Opera Omaha by Ms. Yunus.

MONICA YUNUS
Soprano

Soprano Monic Yunus joins The Metropolitan Opera as Yvette in their production of La Rondine, Opera Omaha as Pamina in The Magic Flute, and The Wichita Symphony performances of Carmina Burana during the 2012-2013 season. Recent engagements include Norina in Don Pasquale with Opera Memphis, Oscar in Un Ballo in Maschera with Washington National Opera, Zerlina in Don Giovanni with Austin Lyric Opera, Countess Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro with Opera Omaha, Gretel in Hansel and Gretel with Palm Beach Opera, and Adele in Die Fledermaus with Nashville Opera. She has joined The Metropolitan Opera for numerous productions including The Enchanted Island, Le Comte Ory, Die Zauberflöte, Manon, and Don Giovanni. Recent concert performances include engagements with Andrea Bocelli in Lajatico, Italy, with José Carerras at The Zouk Mikael International Festival in Lebanon, and with Plácido Domingo at The Jordan Festival in Amman, Jordan.

• March 2013 (2)
• February 2013 (3)
• January 2013 (4)
• December 2012 (2)
• November 2012 (4)
• October 2012 (7)
• September 2012 (9)
• August 2012 (5)
• July 2012 (4)
• June 2012 (2)
• May 2012 (3)
• April 2012 (8)
• March 2012 (11)
• February 2012 (3)
• January 2012 (3)
• November 2011 (1)
• October 2011 (2)
• September 2011 (1)
• August 2011 (2)
• June 2011 (1)
• May 2011 (1)
• November 2010 (1)
• October 2010 (3)
• April 2010 (2)
• March 2010 (2)
• February 2010 (8)
• January 2010 (1)
• November 2009 (6)
• October 2009 (8)
• September 2009 (1)
• August 2009 (1)
• July 2009 (1)
• June 2009 (2)
• May 2009 (1)
• April 2009 (7)
• March 2009 (3)
• February 2009 (1)
• December 2008 (1)
• November 2008 (2)
• September 2008 (1)
• August 2008 (1)