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26 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday May 30, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Artscene Oakville Beaver · WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 2007 Oakville singer performs at Luminato Festival opera Gala By Andrew Fruch SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER In the world of opera, every so often, a talented individual comes along and takes the scene by storm. One such person is soprano singer Sondra Radvanovsky, and Oakville residents will have a chance to hear her when she performs at the Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, June 8, as part of Luminato Festival Opera Gala. Radvanovsky began singing at the age of seven in her church choir and hasn't stopped since. She studied voice at the University of Southern California and UCLA and in 1995 her opera career took flight when she won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Along with a cash prize, she received entry in the Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, a threeyear program that provides young artists a chance to develop and perform, while receiving a salary. After completing the program in 1998, Radvanovsky's career as an opera singer began to steadily rise. Before she even had time to realize it, Radvanovsky was an international opera star. Eventually, Radvanovsky took some time off to step back and reflect on her career and accomplishments. "I was right in the middle of it," she said. "You don't have time to really think about it. So I took the summer off by choice, and I realized it's amazing how much I've done. You don't usually hit big international stardom overnight. It's usually a slow building process." But like with any profession, there are challenges to overcome. For Radvanovsky, it is the criticisms that can come with any performance. "You're in the public eye, it's difficult," said Radvanovsky. "But being in the public eye you have to be open to criticism. Still, you're putting your heart on your sleeve. We work so hard at what we do. It can be hard. You think you've done a great performance and someone criticizes you, it's a blow to what you do. My body is my instrument, so it's hard to not take it personally." Even so, Radvanovsky is glad to be performing in front of an audience and sharing her art form. "Art, especially opera for me, helps people to relate to the emotions that they are feeling. It's like therapy. It makes people realize there is more than just themselves, and that someone else has See Singer page 28 Opera singer Sondra Radvanovsky Thank you Thank you for your hard work, dedication and enthusiasm this past year! Board of Directors Gordon Ross - Chair Community Volunteer Jill Yousie - Vice-Chair Crosswater Partners Ean Algar Community Volunteer Tom Alton Community Volunteer V Gary Beck CAW Local 707 Lori Brown Felmate Delibato Heagle LLP Lori Brown Felmate Delibato Heagle LLP Mary Chapin Town Councillor, Ward 3, Town of Oakville Paul Davidson Ryrie Kerr Davidson Erin Gordon Xstrata Linda Jones Oakville & District Labour Council Avis Maher Retrocom Mid-Market REIT Bob Maich Community Volunteer Bob Van Cleef Oakville & District Labour Council Nelson Cusitar Cusitar and Associates John Drysdale Brendan Moore & Associates Ltd. John Goldspink Cooper Construction Ltd. John Mills The Mills Group Inc. Nancy Williams Community Volunteer Judy Pike, Vice-Chair Ministry of Health Promotion Ken Auden Community Volunteer V Karen Chassels Glendale International Corp. Ken Coleman The Odyssey Group Brian Flett Ivara Corporation Susan Mikulicic T Toronto Rehabilitation Centre Matt Drennan-Scace Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd. Eve Willis Community Volunteer V Susan Mikulicic Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Brendan Moore Brendan Moore & Associates Ltd. Bill Stevens The Fulcrum Group Brenda Walsh Oakville & District Labour Council David Ward Arise Technologies Nancy Williams Community Volunteer Campaign Cabinet Brendan Moore, Chair Brendan Moore & Associates Ltd. Ean Algar Community Volunteer Jennifer Bennett Fern Hill School Mary Cardamone Royal LePage Community Impact Cabinet U n i t e d Wa y o f O a k v i l l e 200-466 Speers Road Oakville, ON L6K 3W9 p: (905) 845-5571 f: (905) 845-0166 www.uwoakville.org