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“Coolly Glamorous”

In its review of Richard Strauss’s 1940 opera, “Die Liebe der Danae,” as staged at the Bard Summerscape Festival at Bard College earlier this summer, the New York Times had this to say about soprano Meagan Miller, a member of Washington and Lee’s Class of 1996: “As Danae, the soprano Meagan Miller had a coolly glamorous presence and a big voice that turned strident under pressure but, at its best, penetrated with warm power.” The Associated Press called her “a soprano with a bright sound and impressive power.”

Meagan, who transferred to Julliard after her first two years at W&L, performed her first operatic role, the Countess in Mozart’s the Marriage of Figaro, and also gave her first solo recital at the University. She returned in 2009 for a performance in Wilson Hall.

Her star is clearly rising. After the successes at the Bard Summerscape, Meagan’s 2011-12 season will include: the title role in Richard Strauss’ Daphne at the Vienna State Opera, Elisabetta in Verdi’s Don Carlo with Deutsche Oper Berlin, Elisabeth in Wagner’s Tannhäuser with the Hungarian State Opera Budapest, Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello with the Deutsche Opera Berlin at Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Cleveland Orchestra, Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, recitals with Lyric Fest in Philadelphia and a duo recital at New York’s Morgan Library.