T he debut solo recording from Danielle de Niese, who became a star overnight after her stunning 'all singing, all dancing' performance as Cleopatra in Handel's Giulio Cesare at Glyndebourne in 2005, will be available this Autumn.

On Handel Arias Danielle sings a selection of Handel arias from both famous and lesser-known works which showcase perfectly her extraordinary dramatic range and vocal abilities.

Revered Handel specialist William Christie conducts the award-winning period orchestra Les Arts Florissants. After her Glyndebourne success, the role of Cleopatra has become Danielle's calling card and she has repeated it to great critical acclaim at New York's Metropolitan Opera. The production goes to Chicago in October of this year.

At the age of 19, Danielle was the youngest ever member of the Met's Young Artist Programme, and made her debut there as Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro (with Bartoli, Fleming and Terfel). Since then, her career rise has been meteoric and she has gained a reputation as an unparalleled singing actress of the baroque repertoire, performing with many of the great exponents of the baroque and classical reperotoire, including Minkowski, Christie and Rousset.

“This is Handel in all his unabashed glory, and there is nothing restrained about Ms. De Niese’s warmly voluptuous and passionate singing.” The New York Times

“De Niese, a native of Australia but raised and musically trained in America, has really assimilated Cleopatra's complex character, not…A high point of Friday's performance was the soul-searching aria "Se Pieta di me non senti," in Act 2, just one of many examples of de Niese's artistry.” Daily Herald

“One of the liveliest and most enjoyable nights at Lyric in recent memory…As Cleopatra, De Niese might tempt even a castrato. She's young, she's beautiful, she's funny, she's sexy, she's clever, she dances very well and she sings even better.” Associated Press

“Not only is the Australian-born, American-trained soprano strikingly beautiful to look at and to listen to, she dances with the lissome pizazz of a showgirl. De Niese was such a magnetic presence at the Lyric premiere of Handel's 1724 masterpiece Friday at the Civic Opera House that you couldn't take your eyes off her if you tried…It is hard to imagine this production working half as well with any other singing actress as Cleopatra. De Niese sang, danced and vamped up a storm while modeling a succession of body-hugging outfits. She also brought heart-stopping emotional depth to the heroine's more introspective arias.” Chicago Tribune

“Giulio Cesare" is a continuous feast of melody and opportunities for vocal artistry. And Lyric has assembled a dream cast to execute it. As Cleopatra, soprano Danielle de Niese manages not only to navigate and tame every florid passage, she does so most of the time while dancing. This Cleopatra is entirely believable as a love object, a lover, and a fiercely political leader as well.” Chicago Sun-Times

“Making her Lyric Opera debut, the young soprano Danielle de Niese was an extraordinary presence as Cleopatra. She sang with power and clarity, and imaginatively ornamented intricate lines even while engaged in Mr. George’s playful dances. Ms. de Niese subtly captured every facet of a role that required her to be a ruthless schemer, a ravishing seductress, a pitiable victim and a fierce opponent.” New York Times

“...a creature of superhuman beauty and talent” Slate Magazine
Read More!“Not just a superb performer, but a phenomenal one” Opera News

“star quality” The Sunday Times

“Her singing is utterly delectable and completely assured” The New York Times

“opera has an exciting future” Evening Standard

“Handel Arias” debuted as Number 4 on the Classical Billboard Charts and was Number 1 on iTunes Classical! ..Info – new site coming soon! www.danielledeniese.com

Danielle de Niese - biography

“And in the lore of showbiz cliché, a star was born”
(The Evening Standard)

“A performer of charismatic good looks and stage presence”
(Opera News)

S oprano Danielle de Niese's career got off to a prodigious start with early operatic debuts at the Netherlands Opera, the Saito Kinen Festival and the Paris Opera. But it was her portrayal of Cleopatra in David McVicar's production of Handel's Giulio Cesare (conducted by William Christie) at the 2005 Glyndebourne Festival that brought international acclaim and led to an exclusive recording contract with Decca.

The American soprano has captivated audiences since childhood. Australian-born to parents of Sri Lankan and Dutch heritage, Danielle de Niese grew up in Los Angeles, where she hosted a weekly television arts showcase for teenagers, winning an Emmy.

Trained in dance and piano as well as music at the famed Colburn School in Los Angeles, she participated in the Tanglewood, Aspen and Marlboro summer programs before studying at the Mannes School, New York.

Soon after her Metropolitan Opera debut (aged 19) came several important European performances: Cleopatra for Netherlands Opera and Paris Opera (opposite David Daniels) conducted by Marc Minkowski; Rameau's Les Indes Galantes under William Christie in Paris and, in the Netherlands, a contemporary work by Robin de Raaff staged by Pierre Audi. Her Italian debut was in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice in Naples and she sang Monteverdi's Poppea in Zurich with Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and Despina (Cosi fan tutte) with Opera de Lyon.

Other key appearances include Monteverdi's Poppea and Tytania in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream (Chicago Opera Theater); Handel's Rodelinda with the Canadian Opera Company; and with the Netherlands Opera, Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro and Despina (Cosi).

In early 2007 she returned to Paris as Ginevra in Handel's Ariodante (Théâtre des Champs-Élysées) and returned to the New York Met as Cleopatra. This season sees her debuts at Lyric Opera of Chicago and Brussels' La Monnaie as Cleopatra, and she returns to Amsterdam for Poppea and Glyndebourne, where she will star under Emmanuelle Haïm.