Biography

The "magnificent" soprano Barbara Shirvis "moved fromstrength to strength" (Los Angeles Times) through three new opera roles in the 2005-06 season: as the "luminous" Tatyana (Cleveland Plain Dealer) in Eugene Onegin for Cleveland Opera, the "sultry and feral" Nedda (The Blade) in I Pagliacci for Toledo Opera and the "beautiful" Alice Ford (Times of Trenton) in Falstaff  for New Jersey Opera Theatre. Ms Shirvis continued her full concert schedule by singing the soprano solos in Dvorak's Requiem for Florida Orchestra (conductor Grant Llewellyn), Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 for Phoenix Symphony (conductor Michael Christie), Handel's Messiah with Houston Symphony, and the Brahms Requiem with Bangor Symphony. The season also unveiled the first performances of Bellissimo Broadway, the latest duet recital created by Barbara and baritone Stephen Powell. The two singers frequent collaboration also includes master classes at Universities and Colleges.

2006-07 begins for the "authentic blonde beauty" (Opera News) with performances of Juliette in Romeo and Juliette for Toledo Opera, continues with Elijah for Jacksonville Symphony (conductor Fabio Mechetti), Leila  in Les Pecheurs de Perles for Kentucky Opera and Liu to Sharon Sweet's Turandot for New Jersey Opera Theatre.

Barbara Shirvis' performance history includes an abundance of Mozart: The soprano has sung Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte  "with gorgeous tone-- the musical highlight" (Boston Globe) for San Diego Opera, Opera company of Rio de Janeiro, Arizona Opera and Berkshire Opera. She has appeared as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni for Jacksonville Symphony, Syracuse Opera and Berkshire Opera, "her phrasing and agility illustrated what a great Mozart singer she is" (WBRK), and has also essayed the role of Donna Anna for the Hudson Valley Philharmonic. Puccini being another great love for this versatile singer, Ms Shirvis has sung Tosca with New Jersey Symphony (conductor George Manahan) and West Virginia Symphony, and Madama Butterfly with the Eastern Music Festival (conductor George Manahan). Another favorite role and one that evinces her comedic gift is Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus, which she has sung with Boston Lyric Opera and Knoxville Opera. Rounding out her most recent performances were her appearances as Violetta in La Traviata with Syracuse Opera, Micaela in Carmen with Florentine Opera, Curly's Wife in Of Mice and Men for Edmonton Opera and in the double bill The Telephone and Susanna's Secret for Jacksonville Symphony.

Concert credits include Poulenc's Gloria and Holiday Concerts with Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Messiah with the symphonies of Houston, Jacksonville, Colorado, as well as the Pacific Symphony, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the symphonies of Phoenix, Spokane and Fort Wayne, Brahms Requiem with the Jacksonville Symphony and Colorado Music Festival, Janacek's Glagolitic Mass and Poulenc's Stabat Mater with New Mexico Symphony, and Mozart's Requiem with Jacksonville Symphony and on a European tour with the Dallas Symphony Chorus which also included Mendelssohn's Lobegesang.  She has also performed with the National Symphony in a series of concerts led by conductor and vocalist Bobby McFerrin.

Barbara Shirvis began her career at New York City Opera where she sang for a decade in such roles as Micaela, Pamina in Magic Flute, Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier and Yum-Yum in Mikado.  Barbara lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband, baritone Stephen Powell and their two children.