Dianna Ruggiero

Dramatic Mezzo-Soprano Dianna Ruggiero began her career attending The California Institute of the Arts with a Full Tuition Scholarship for both her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts Degrees. After graduation, she moved to New York to perform with the Metropolitan Opera Studio. She continued her career with the Metropolitan Opera Studio, Metropolitan Opera and New York City Opera. Her teacher at the time was the legendary American Metropolitan Opera Soprano and Voice Teacher, Margaret Harshaw. Ms. Ruggiero has performed such roles as Cherubino in "Le Nozze di Figaro", Siebel in "Faust", Stephano in "Romeo et Juliette", Smeton in "Anna Bolena", Maddalena in "Rigoletto", Suzuki in "Madama Butterfly" and Dorabella in " Cosi Fan Tutte". One of the highlights of her career was an invitation to study in Italy with the internationally renowned Mezzo-Soprano, Giulietta Simionato, who remained her teacher. While living in Italy, Dianna continued her singing with opera companies throughout Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland in roles such as Carmen in "Carmen', Laura in "La Gioconda", Santuzza in "Cavalleria Rusticana", The Composer in "Ariadne auf Naxos", Octavian in "Der Rosenkavalier". Amneris in "Aida", Eboli in "Don Carlo", Azucena in "Il Trovatore", Dalila in "Samson et Dalila" and Venus in "Tannhauser".

Upon returning to the US, she settled in California where she continued to perform with the San Diego Master Chorale, La Jolla Symphony and Chorus, North Coast Symphony and Lyric Opera San Diego as Manja in "Countess Maritza", The Old Lady in "Candide", Ruth in "Pirates of Penzance", The Duchess of Plaza-Toro in "The Gondoliers", Domina in "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" and Madame Dubonnet in "The Boyfriend."

As a Teacher, Dianna divides her time between San Diego and New York, maintaining her active Private Studio on both coasts. Her students sing with Opera Companies, on Broadway, in National Tours, Jazz Clubs and Professional Musical Theatre Companies throughout the United States. She has taught at NYU, The Steinhardt School in the Graduate Program for Opera and Musical Theatre, and taught Master Classes at Hunter College, The Verdi Conservatory, The Vienna Conservatory, Santa Cecilia Academy in Rome and each year for the Summer Academy for Lyric Opera San Diego. She is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Actors' Equity and American Guild of Musical Artists.

For the last several years, Dianna has worked extensively with the Speech and Swallowing Clinic at Scripps Memorial Hospital and the University of California, San Diego Medical Center as a Singing Voice Specialist. She works in collaboration with Speech Therapists to re-build voices after vocal injury and re-establish proper Singing Technique with both Professional and Non-Professional Singers.

Please view my Website: www.diannaruggiero.com