News
Santa Fe Opera Award of Excellence
The Santa Fe Opera recently announced the recipients of its annual Outstanding Apprentice Awards. Each season, talented young singers and technicians take part in the Santa Fe Opera’s Apprentice Programs, where they receive intensive training and play critical roles in the creation, both on stage and off, of the season’s five mainstage productions. Their work culminates in two nights of fully staged and costumed Apprentice Scenes, created and performed solely by the apprentices. Of this season’s 78 apprentice technicians and 42 apprentice singers, 27 won cash rewards, honoring their exceptional talent and hard work.
Richard F. Gold Career Grant
Isobel Anthony is a 2024 recipient of the Richard F. Gold Career Grant, from the Shoshana Foundation. “The foundation's work focuses on assisting promising opera singers at the start of their careers by providing The Richard F. Gold Career Grant to young singers nominated by their music school and opera apprenticeship program.” Previous awardees include Renée Fleming, Denyce Graves, Eric Owens, and Christine Goerke, among others.
“Isobel Anthony’s angelic and superbly projected soprano voice was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the evening. She stood out in particular for her very French tone, which was most welcome in this repertoire. She performed her part with agility, clarity, and emotion, demonstrating an ability to listen to her fellow musicians that created beautiful moments of balance in the ensembles, such as in the trio ‘Tecum principium.’”
“The artists in residence at the Paris Opera Academy are all excellent, especially American soprano Isobel Anthony. her artistry combines seriousness and naturalness with great grace. Her voice is light but precisely pitched, allowing for very round high notes in the pianos. Isobel Anthony is a touching and magical musician, undoubtedly an artist to watch!””
Read the review of The Marriage of Figaro here
“In the supporting roles, second-year apprentice Isobel Anthony made the strongest impression. Her Barbarina was unusually vivid vocally and physically, and it would be intriguing to see how she fares in a larger part.”
“Mais c’est la soprano Isobel Anthony qui domine sans équivoque le quatuor. Tout est plus que prometteur chez cette jeune artiste américaine : une voix fraîche et gouleyante, une technique assurée, une musicalité pétillante qui soutient constamment l’intérêt du spectateur. Elle ravit en «innocente » et enchante en jeune fille soudain saisie par l’amour. Haydn lui offre des airs savoureux dont elle illumine l’esprit tout de fluidité et d’élan. On imagine déjà Isobel Anthony en Suzanne des Noces de Figaro de Mozart et apprend à la lecture du programme qu’elle s’investit également dans la création contemporaine.”
“Nous avons été particulièrement séduits par la beauté du chant très ornementé et très naturel en même temps d’Isobel Anthony qui possède la grâce naïve que l’on attend du beau personnage de Silvia. ”
Read the review of Die Zauberflöte here!
“Whether singing or speaking, Anthony was never stiff or overwrought. Possessing a remarkably even voice throughout her vocal range, Anthony delivered the most technically accomplished and thoroughly musical singing of the night with a stunning rendition of “Ach, ich fühl’s.” The high notes were floated perfectly, and she connected phrases that lesser singers would have needed to breathe between.”
“Et sa Pamina, comme en réponse, incarnée par Isobel Anthony dans un Ach ich fühl’s tendre et émouvant, ne manque pas de sincérité. Elle aussi, impressionne de promesses, tant sa voix est claire et ronde. Au sommet de la ligne mélodique, ses aigus sont lumineux et son vibrato juste, un beau fait d’arme quand on sait ô combien ces mêmes notes sont si souvent malmenées.”
“Isobel Anthony, soprano, propose notamment une Pamina tout en finesse au timbre chaleureux, au souffle agile et léger.”


