Anna Caterina Antonacci

Though latterly a soprano, the Italian singer Anna Caterina Antonacci, born in 1961 in Ferrara, spent the first half of her career as a mezzo, consciously emphasizing the darker, grainier character of her voice. She first made a name for herself as a singing actress in Rossini’s more muscular bel canto roles as well as the expressive Baroque music of Monteverdi and Handel. A powerful, commanding presence on stage, with a particular affinity for tragedy, she made her name with roles such as Berlioz’s Cassandra and Cleopatra, Handel’s Rodelinda, and Gluck’s Armida and Iphigenia (Iphigénie en Tauride). Then, in 2004, everything changed. Antonacci revisited her technique, management, and even her voice type, deciding not to “fight” against her voice any longer, but to become a soprano. Since then, she has sung an impressive range of roles from Mozart’s Fiordiligi and Monteverdi’s Poppea to Bizet’s Carmen (traditionally mezzo territory). She remains, unapologetically, uncategorizable, an adventurous artist keen to make the most of a voice—and a career—that colors outside the lines.