Biography
Ronit Widmann - Levy has received worldwide accolades for her operatic and concert performances. A versatile artist equally at home on both concert and opera stages.
Ronit has sung in opera houses and festivals in San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, Tanglewood, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Berlin, Munich, London, Bangkok, and Jerusalem. At the Ravinia Festival in Chicago, the Bath and Dartington Festivals in England, the Jüdische Kulturtage in Berlin, and the America Haus Concert Series in Munich.
Ms. Widmann-Levy made her début with the San Francisco Symphony in February 2005 in Schumann's Das Paradies und die Peri, conducted by Ingo Metzmacher. Since her debut, Ronit has regularly performed with Michael Tilson Thomas and the SFS in Carnegie Hall, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Symphony, New York Philharmonic, the New World Symphony, and the Boston Symphony. Ronit recorded for PBS Great Performances with Michael Tilson Thomas- The Thomashefskys, Music and Memories of a Life in the Yiddish Theater.
Ronit is renowned for her interpretation of Ladino Romansa and Cantiga. She has made numerous recordings of Ladino music, both symphonic and with guitar accompaniment. Her opera repertoire includes the roles of Violetta, Constanza, Madama Butterfly, Micaela, Mimi, Liù, and Freia and various contemporary-opera roles. Symphonic works include among others: Carmina Burana, Beethoven's 9 symphony, Mahler 4 and 2 Symphonies, and Arnold Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire.
Future engagements: In the winter of 2022, Ronit is on a US tour with legendary guitarist Angel Romero performing a Spanish music recital of music by Manuel de Falla, Rodrigo, Lorca, and traditional Ladino romansa. In the fall of 2023, she will embark on a world concert tour with Trio Cantilena performing two programs: Jerusalem de España and Ladino Soul.
"Soprano Ronit Widmann-Levy's ethereal upward major-ninth leap before "Blanziflor et Helena" (Carmina Burana) set the stage for an erotic and sinfully stately chorale-paeon to the pleasures of the flesh…Marvelous".
-21st century music magazine 2008
Reviews:
"Soprano Ronit Widmann-Levy's ethereal upward major-ninth leap before "Blanziflor et Helena" (Carmina Burana) set the stage for an erotic and sinfully stately chorale-paeon to the pleasures of the flesh…Marvelous". 21st century music magazine 2008.
Critics consistently write about Ronit's ability to sing with "compelling conviction and warmth with a voice whose naturally extensive range shows "fine-spun altitudes" (Washington times). The Eugene Register-Guard arts critic described her performance as Micaela: "One of the most impressive artists was Ronit Widmann-Levy playing...Micaela, the sweet innocent country girl...Widmann-Levy, made her two arias memorable. Her voice has a weighty tone, and she uses it with solid technique."
Bill Glackin of the Sacramento Bee wrote of her performance of the last scene from Capriccio by Richard Strauss: "she is a singer of compelling conviction and warmth as well as unusual personal beauty."
"... the Villa-Lobos shone forth from soprano Ronit Widman-Levy, in a haunting rendition that captured the essence of this baroque-and-brazilian mix. Like some surrealistic pillowy guitar, the cellos pluck and bow against operatic outpourings and hummings, making the case yet again for this most popular of the composer's works."