EDU.INT
INTER-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
CROATIA
Acclaimed opera star Tanja Šimić Queiroz offers kind humanitarian support to EDU
The Secretary-General with acclaimed opera singer Tanja Šimić Queiroz (right) and her Portuguese artist husband Jorge Queiroz (left)
EDU Secretary-General H.E. Irving Levance had a delightful meeting with acclaimed mezzosoprano Tanja Šimić Queiroz. The diplomat and the opera star discussed a variety of contemporary issues and discussed the role of the arts in promoting cross-cultural understanding.
Ms. Šimić Queiroz, has a creditable pedigree in offering her services free to sing to raise money for Haiti following the earthquake and to support schools in Berlin and in her native Croatia, especially in the city of Vukovar in eastern Croatia which was heavily damaged during the War of Croatian Independence.
Highly intelligent and utterly charming, she received both her Bachelor of Music & Master of Music in Voice from the Mannes College of Music in New York City where she was a scholarship recipient.
As part of the opera program, she performed many Opera scenes and roles such as: Cherubino, Marcellina, Hansel, Tisbe, Dorabella, Carmen & Sesto, among others.
Her recent engagements have included the role of Imelda in "Oberto", G. Verdi with the Berliner Opern Gruppe, the role of Sally in "A Hand of Bridge", S. Barber, Mrs. Nolan in "The Medium", G. Menotti and Maggie in "The Gift of the Magi", D. Conte with the Berlin International Opera.
Ms. Šimić Queiroz was an award recipient of the New Jersey Alliance competition (2002) as well as receiving the Artist International award, which culminated in a solo concert at the Weill Hall in Carnegie Hall in 2004.
She has also been a participant of the Bach Festival in 2000 and La Belle Epoque Festival in 2002. During the summer of 2004 she was accepted in prestigious IVIA summer program held in Puerto Rico where she had worked with the coaches from the Metropolitan Opera. Most recently, she was a winner of the KammerOper Rheinsberg competition in 2009 and she was invited to perform in their summer festival numerous concerts and the role of a Satyr in the “Satyrspiel” by Siegfried Matthus.
She has sung the world premieres of pieces such as: "Lieder", Pedro Moreira (2000), the role of Villa in "Sirena", P. Sisa (2008), and the symphony "Vor dem Verstummen", H. Weiss (2008) as well as Maggie in the German premiere of "The Gift of the Magi", David Conte (2010).
Ms. Šimić Queiroz is also an established concert and ‘lied’ singer. She has performed many recitals in New York, Croatia, Spain, Holland and Germany with pianists such as: Alexandar Frey, Dunja Robotti, Madalina Pasol, Kanako Nakagawa, John Lidal, Glen Morton, Orly Alonso, Leo Shih and guitar players: Mislav Rezic, and Miroslac Loncar. She has collaborated with conductors such as: Lothar Zagroshek, Toshihisa Okamoto, Marzio Conti, Jurgen Bruns, Felix Kireger, Roland Mell, Zlatan Srzic, Olav Kroger, Kevin McCutcheon, Ted Taylor, Joseph Colaneri.
Tanja was singing and performing in Audio and Video Art works from Julian Rosefeldt, Barbara Breitenfellner and Reynold Reynolds.
Ms. Šimić Queiroz showed great interest in EDU programs that promote education and understanding and the Secretary-General was thankful to receive a generous offer from her that, should her schedule allow, she would be happy to offer her singing talents for free at a future fundraiser organized by EDU.
Accompanied by her Portuguese artist husband Jorge Queiroz, H.E. Irving Levance remarked that the couple embodied precisely the sort of cross-cultural understanding the EDU seeks to promote and he wished them well in their forthcoming relocation to New York.
