Teacher

Dianna Ruggiero, Dramatic Mezzo-Soprano, has been acclaimed for her "winning and vivacious stage presence." A performer of immense energy and excitement, she has been recognized for her "opulent Mezzo-Soprano" and her "warm, velvety tone." She has gained a reputation for her versatility, being at home in Opera and Concert, as well as Musical Theatre.

Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in the cultural and exotic cities of Cairo, Karachi, Delhi, Rome, Nairobi, Seoul and London, Dianna began to sing at an early age. She returned to the United States and attended Beverly Hills High School where she was a member of the award winning Beverly Hills High School Madrigal Singers. She attended California Institute of the Arts with a Full Tuition Scholarship for both her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts Degrees. Immediately after graduation, she moved to New York City and auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera Studio. She was accepted and performed extensively in New York with the Metropolitan Opera Studio, Metropolitan Opera and New York City Opera. Her teacher at the time was the great American Metropolitan Opera Mezzo-Soprano and Voice Teacher, Margaret Harshaw. Dianna was invited to study in Italy with the internationally renowned Mezzo-Soprano, Giulietta Simionato. While living in Italy, she sang extensively with major opera companies through out Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland in leading Mezzo-Soprano roles such as 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, Venus in Tannhauser, Brangane in Tristan und Isolde and Fricka in Die Walkure.

Dianna has been teaching Voice since her college days as a Vocal Teaching Assistant at the California Institute of the Arts. She has taught at NYU in the Steinhardt School, as well as 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 lives in San Diego and has performed with the San Diego Master Chorale, La Jolla Symphony and Chorus, North Coast Symphony and Lyric Opera San Diego in roles such 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.

For the last several years, Dianna has worked with the Speech and Swallowing Clinic at Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla, California 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.

Dianna Ruggiero has a Private Vocal Studio and is one of San Diego's leading Voice Teachers. Her students sing with leading Opera Companies, on Broadway, National Tours and professional Musical Theatre companies in San Diego, through out California and the United States. She is a proud member of The National Association of Teachers of Singing, Actors' Equity, American Guild of Musical Artists and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists/Screen Actors Guild. She has been nominated to be in "Who's Who in America" and " Who's Who in the American Arts."