Sharon Sweet

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sharon Sweet

Born August 16, 1951 in New York, NY Country: USA Biography One of a handful of dramatic sopranos whose talents prove that large voices of quality still do exist, Sharon Sweet has enjoyed a highly successful career despite persistent issues regarding her physical size. Like Jessye Norman, Alessandra Marc, and Deborah Voigt, Sweet has both an ample figure and a voice to measure up to the grandest roles in the Italian, German, and French repertories. While not the most psychologically penetrating of interpreters, Sweet has consistently sung with power, an appropriate notion of style, and no small measure of musicianship. During her career, she has appeared in leading roles in many of the major world venues, especially in Europe and the United States. While still in prime voice, she assumed a full-time university level teaching position, by no means abandoning her singing career, but being more selective regarding her engagements.

Sweet's 1999 move to academia when she accepted a full-time teaching position at Westminster Choir College surprised many, particularly as it was accompanied by little comment on the singer's part. In Brian Kellow's column in the February 2000 issue of Opera News, however, the singer explained her increasing frustration with a system gone awry, one in which appearance too often takes precedence over vocal substance. She cited the example of her having saved a performance by taking over for an ailing colleague, only to be told by the conductor that he would not work with her again due to her physical size. Sweet explained that she has long endured a thyroid condition of Hashimoto's thyroiditis known as Hashimoto's Syndrome. Sweet has made notable contributions to several recordings, in particular Lohengrin, Der Freischütz, Don Giovanni, and Il trovatore.

[1]

[2]