Jill Gardner | News
Official website for American opera singer soprano Jill Gardner, including biography, engagements calendar, acclaim, repertoire, recordings, photo galleries, press kit, and contact information.
Jill Gardner, soprano, American, opera, tosca, puccini, lyric, singer, actor, singing actor, Jill Garner, Jill Gardener
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Jill Gardner

Review: Lyric Vocals Wow in HOT’s ‘Daughter’

Posted by Julie in Hawaii Opera Theatre, News, Team Gardner

“Donizetti’s “Daughter of the Regiment” is a lighthearted entertainment featuring spectacular vocal displays held together by a slender plot. …The most striking was a nonsinging role — quite unusual for opera — by Jill Gardner as the Duchess of Crackentorp, with her flamboyantly feathered headdress and operatic shrieks. At one point, the Duchess launches into singing one of Jill Gardner’s acclaimed roles (“Tosca”) and Hortensius has to correct her, “Wrong opera!” Read the complete review by Ruth Bingham on the Star-Advertiser website…

Review: “The Girl of the Golden West” at Virginia Opera

Posted by Julie in News, Review, Virginia Opera

“Jill Gardner as Minnie gets what is surely one of the greatest entrances for any soprano, firing a shot to settle down the quarreling miners in her saloon. The next thing we know, she’s reading to them from the Bible—a lesson about forgiveness that will prove prophetic. Just in her first scene alone, we’re given examples of Minnie’s strength, intelligence, self-sufficiency, shyness, and compassion. Gardner invested this endearing character with great fierceness and great tenderness by turns, and sang with clarity and sweetness of tone.” Read Gina Dalfonzo’s review in it’s entirety on the DC Metro Theater Arts website… Photo Credit: Ben Schill Photography (http://www.schillphotography.com) SaveSave

Review: Faith, Hope, and Jealousy in the Wild West

Posted by Julie in News, Review, Team Gardner, Virginia Opera

Virginia Opera’s production of La Fanciulla del West Review by Tim Smith “THE EMOTIONS FUELING THE PLOT of La Fanciulla del West—unfulfilled sensual needs, homesickness, sense of duty and community, those old favorites of faith, hope and jealousy—were all given serious, sincere attention in a Virginia Opera production that reaffirmed, as admirers of Puccini’s brilliant work have long maintained, it deserves much more prominence in the canon. Aided at every moment by Adam Greene’s refined lighting, there was no shortage of good old-fashioned atmosphere from the scenery (John Conklin) and costumes (Constance Hoffman), originally designed for the Glimmerglass Festival. The director of that earlier production, Lillian Groag, brought her incisive touch to this staging as…

Review: “Girls” brings Wild West to Virginia

Posted by Julie in News, Review, Virginia Opera

“Soprano Jill Gardner was a brilliant Minnie. Her voice is a powerful instrument that, combined with her natural ability to act brought the pistol-packing, Bible reading, never-been-kissed character with a heart as good as gold to vivid life. Her’s is one of the strongest, most solid soprano sounds to grace the VOA roster. One can only imagine the dramatic heights of her acclaimed Tosca.” Read John Sheldon’s full review in The Virginia Gazette…

Review: Virginia Opera’s “The Girl of the Golden West”

Posted by Julie in News, Review, Team Gardner, Virginia Opera

“Around the middle of Act I, Jill Gardner’s Minnie, the pistol-packing saloon owner, makes her entrance, completely shutting down an all too classic bar fight. The choreography by Erik Gaden makes every punch visceral. Gardner wins the audience’s heart early, and keeps it the whole show. Her singing touches every emotion, and she hits notes on both sides of the scale. Her acting, however, is what really makes the show. Gardner truly becomes Minnie. The audience feels her loneliness, her vulnerability, and most of all, her heart. We get to know her as a mother figure to the miners, as their (literal) teacher, and their protector.” Read Matthew Sporn’s review in…

Review: “La Fanciulla Del West”—A Triumphant Interpretation

Posted by Julie in News, Review, Team Gardner, Virginia Opera

“Minnie was sung by Jill Gardner, in a Virginia Opera mainstage debut. Her voice is powerful and well-produced, even if still lacking that Tebaldian focus. Gardner’s is a real verismo voice, making it sound easy, and acting every moment. It is understandable that her bio contains raves for her Tosca. She has been through nearly all the Puccini heroines, though not yet Turandot, but I can’t imagine what will stop her. Her Liù is already on the books, and if there’s a soprano today who could work both sides of the Gong, she’s it.” Read David Wagner’s review in it’s entirety on Opera Wire’s website…

Review: Puccini’s “Girl of the Golden West” Shines with Winning Hand

Posted by Julie in News, Team Gardner, Virginia Opera

“…Midway through the first act, Minnie, played by Jill Gardner, is the pistol-packing saloon owner who makes a dramatic entrance, taking command of an all-out barroom brawl, skillfully choreographed by Erik Gaden. Gardner takes command of the production as well, and never lets go. Her singing has great emotional range, impressive clarity and flawless dynamic control. Her acting, however, is what stands out the most. In a nuanced performance, Gardner evokes both hesitancy and assuredness, vulnerability and strength, as well as worldly innocence, maternal protectiveness and fierce resolve. In addition to the music of Puccini, she is one of the aces in this production…” Read Andy Garrigue’s review in it’s entirety…

Virginia Opera: Master Teacher Series Event

Posted by Julie in News, Teaching, Virginia Opera

Master Teacher Series Event! Free and open to the public! Tuesday – October 10, 2017 – 7 PM at the Dominion Arts Center, 600 E. Grace St, Richmond, VA 23219. Experience the preparation process for Virginia Opera’s Herndon Foundation Emerging Artists as they advance their professional dream with our Master Teacher series. Jill Bowen Gardner & Jake Gardner who will be starring in our production of Puccini’s ‘The Girl of the Golden West’ will provide instruction and advice to the young singers. Enjoy light refreshments with the artists following the presentation. To reserve a space, call 866.673.7282 https://vaopera.org/events/master-teacher-series/

Jake and Jill—Floria Tosca hates Baron Scarpia

Posted by Julie in News, Opera Coeur d’Alene

To play Tosca, soprano Jill Gardner had to learn how to hate her husband. “Jill Gardner has flown in from her native North Carolina to perform the titular lead in this weekend’s production of Tosca by Opera Coeur d’Alene. Over the span of 12 productions and somewhere north of 50 performances across the country, it has become her signature role. But it’s only the fifth production in which the soprano has performed opposite her real-life husband, Jake. And he’s not playing Cavaradossi. “I often say that, during that rehearsal process, we work a lot of shit out,” she says, chuckling…” Continue this article by E.J. Iannelli on the Inlander website…

Opera Coeur d’Alene presents Puccini’s Tosca

Posted by Julie in News, Opera Coeur d’Alene

Get your tickets now for Opera Coeur d’Alene’s production of TOSCA, Puccini’s moving and memorable opera. The dramatic force of Tosca and its characters continues to fascinate both performers and audiences, and the work remains one of the most frequently performed operas. Featured Cast: Tosca: Jill Gardner https://jillbowengardner.com/ Scarpia: Jake Gardner http://bassbaritonejakegardner.com/ Cavaradossi: Roger Honeywell https://imgartists.com/roster/roger-honeywell/ Sacristan: Valerian Ruminski https://www.valerianruminskibass.com/ For tickets, visit Opera CDA’s website…