Biography (read more)
Angela Gheorghiu (born Angela Burlacu, 7 September 1965, in Adjud, Romania) began studying singing at age 14 at the Ciprian Porumbescu Conservatory under Mia Barbu, graduating in 1990 as Mimì in La bohème shortly after the fall of the Ceaușescu regime. She made her international debut at Theater Basel in 1991 and her Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and Vienna State Opera debuts in 1992, followed by the Metropolitan Opera in 1993. Her November 1994 performance as Violetta in a new Royal Opera House production of Verdi’s La traviata, conducted by Georg Solti and broadcast live by BBC Two, brought her international stardom. She married French tenor Roberto Alagna, with whom she performed frequently in concerts and opera productions, in 1996; the couple divorced in 2013.
Gheorghiu is widely regarded as one of the leading sopranos of her generation, especially known for her performances in the operas of Puccini and Verdi, with signature roles including Mimì in La bohème, Magda in La rondine, and the title roles in Tosca and Adriana Lecouvreur. Her voice has been described as “the most instantly recognizable and interesting soprano voice of our time,” with critics noting a dark, vibrant lower range reminiscent of Maria Callas, and she has recorded extensively for Decca and EMI/Warner Classics, earning multiple Gramophone Awards and honorary doctorates. She has appeared at galas and state occasions worldwide, including the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize Concert and Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, and continues to be celebrated, in one widely quoted assessment, as “the world’s most glamorous opera star.”
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