Diane Penning
American lyric coloratura soprano

Also available with pianist PAUL BISSACIA in three accessible programs of wide appeal:

*A Night at the Opera (including songs from Phantom of the Opera)
*Unforgettable Broadway hit songs from legendary musicals
*Christmas Remembered cherished favorites of Christmas past

"An impeccable musician...Penning's angelic soprano is always
captivating. A lyric with coloratura agility, range,
and flawless intonation." (The Grand Rapids Press MI)

"Memorable performances...Our audience loved the program. She is a performer with an elegant stage presence and elegance in her voice to match. Diane Penning knows how to deliver at a Symphony Pops concert." (Roger Nelson, presenter, Executive Director of the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra)

"Stunning coloratura voice...in this Bernstein song, which is truly
operatic and full of tricky vocal acrobatics, Penning
was quite outstanding." (Kalamazoo Gazette MI)

Diane Penning's ravishing coloratura has brought her fans and fame in oratorio, opera, pops, and musical theater. She has performed with orchestras in Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Arkansas and in Europe and toured widely in soprano and pianist duos. She now teams up with American pianist Paul Bisaccia in two shows of immediate
appeal, "Simply Gershwin" and "A Night at the Opera" which includes songs from "Phantom of the Opera."

She has performed Rodgers & Hammerstein in Chicago with Richard Hayman, and has performed the lead soprano roles in "Candide, "The Music Man," "She Loves Me," "Green Eggs & Ham," and "West Side Story." Her discography includes "Christmas Festival" with the Czeck National Orchestra in Prague, and "Phantom Phantasy" with the Grand Rapids Symphony.

Her orchestral pops work has frequently centered on Gershwin songs, and her oratorio work has included soloist performances in Mozart's Exultate Jubilate, Orff's Carmina Burana, Handel's Messiah and Silete Venti, the Mozart and Faure Requiems, Poulenc's Gloria, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Rutter's Magnificat and Requiem, Haydn's Creation, Harmony Mass, and Lord Nelson Mass, and Vaughn Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem. She studied voice at Western Michigan University and the University of Michigan.

"Thrilling voice...Diane Penning is a star!" (Battle Creek Enquirer)

"The astounding coloratura of Penning met the demands of the role of Christine...
Her seeming ease in the demanding cadenza in 'Think of Me' and the extensive range
needed for Phantom of the Opera was silvery and thrilling." (Lafayette Courier)

"Penning works magic with movie music. All you could ask for...goosebumps
all around." (The Grand Rapids Press MI)