About this Artist
Renowned for her rich mezzo-soprano voice, FLORENCE QUIVAR is considered one of America’s most distinguished artists. A favorite of New York audiences, Quivar has enjoyed many seasons at the Metropolitan Opera and has also sung with the Met on tour in Spain. In past seasons at the Met she has won critical acclaim for her performances in Dialogues of the Carmelites, Oedipus Rex, L’italiana in Algeri, and Le prophète, and as Serena in the Met’s historic first production of Porgy and Bess. She appeared as Brangäne in the Los Angeles Music Center Opera’s production of Tristan und Isolde, with Zubin Mehta conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Quivar’s extensive operatic repertoire and wide-ranging concert repertoire have taken her to opera houses and concert halls throughout the world. During recent seasons, she performed Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood, Bernstein’s Jeremiah Symphony at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, and Brangäne in Tristan at Houston Grand Opera. She also made her debut at Lyric Opera of Chicago during the 1997/98 season in the world premiere production of Anthony Davis’ Amistad.
Quivar’s discography includes, among many others, a solo album of spirituals titled Ride on, King Jesus; Luisa Miller and Oedipus Rex, both conducted by James Levine; two recordings of the Verdi Requiem, with Carlo Maria Giulini and Sir Colin Davis; Rossini’s Stabat Mater with Thomas Schippers; a highly-acclaimed recording of Porgy and Bess with Lorin Maazel; two recordings of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony, with Seiji Ozawa and Lorin Maazel; and Mahler's Third Symphony with Zubin Mehta.
A native of Philadelphia, Ms. Quivar is a graduate of the Philadelphia Academy of Music and was a member of the Juilliard Opera Theatre. She has received numerous awards, including the National Opera Institute Award, the Baltimore Lyric Opera Competition, and the Marian Anderson Vocal Competition.