Isabel Leonard has “the vocal and physical beauty, the natural stage charisma, and the sure dramatic instincts, to win all hearts from the onset.” —The New York Times
Widely acknowledged as one of the most outstanding singers of her generation, Isabel Leonard continues to thrill audiences worldwide. The American artist won the 2013 Maria Callas Debut Artist Award for her company debut as Rosina in The Barber of Seville. She is currently featured in the wildly successful TDO Network as host of “Isa Coachings,” which offers one-on-one coachings with young singers.
Leonard has triumphed with the major companies of Vienna, Paris, Munich, Bologna, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, as well as the Glyndebourne and Aix-en-Provence Festivals. Among the roles for which she has earned particular acclaim are Rossini’s Cenerentola and Rosina, Mozart’s Dorabella, Cherubino, and Sesto, and Massenet’s Charlotte.
An artist equally acclaimed for her vocal prowess and the elegance of her stage presence (her early careers included training with The Joffrey Ballet), Leonard has been a favorite at the Metropolitan Opera since her 2007 debut as Stephano in Roméo et Juliette. She starred in three roles at the Met during the 2018/19 season, portraying the title character in the American-premiere production of Nico Muhly’s Marnie, followed by Mélisande in Pelléas et Mélisande and Blanche de la Force in Dialogues des Carmélites.
Leonard has performed with many of today’s foremost conductors, and with the Vienna Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Boston Symphony Orchestra, among many other distinguished ensembles.
The singer, whose mother was born in Argentina, speaks fluent Spanish and has earned great acclaim for the Spanish-language repertoire included in her recital programs. With renowned guitarist Sharon Isbin (her partner for a series of 11 critically praised recitals in prestigious venues nationwide), Leonard has recorded an all-Spanish program for Bridge Records. Leonard is in constant demand as a recitalist and is a member of the Carnegie Hall Board of Trustees.
Winner of the Richard Tucker Award, Leonard has also received two Grammy Awards for Best Opera Recording (Thomas Adès’s The Tempest for Deutsche Grammophon in 2014 and Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges for Decca in 2016). She appears on a EuroArts DVD of Così fan tutte, a Salzburg Festival production.
Leonard’s television and film credits range from a guest appearance on Sesame Street to hosting the Metropolitan Opera’s “Live in HD” movie-theater transmissions.