“A soubrette at heart, Adina is one of my favorite characters to play.  She is youthful, coy, full of energy; yet she is also inquisitive and a little reckless. And her music suits my voice perfectly! Donizetti wrote playful music for her in some sections and in others, exquisitely sentimental.  Her story is not dramatic or terribly serious.  Her struggle is to decide whether she wants to share her life with a vain but gallant stranger, who is seeking wealth and beauty and who would likely lord over her ... or if she wants the familiar who idolizes her and wants to share in true happiness.  For many, this is a difficult choice.  For Adina, before she makes her decision, she must realize what her heart truly desires: Power or Love?  In the end, she chooses Love ... but it takes some convincing!

I've had the opportunity to seriously study this opera on several separate occasions: the first time in preparation to sing Giannetta; the second, to prepare the role of Adina; a third time to dissect the role of Adina for my Doctoral thesis; and now, this time.  Every time I study it, I discover new gems of understanding and insights in the music and the characters.  This time is no different, as I find that once again, the lover pair and their music have captured my imagination.”