Local girl arrives on the big stage
Photo by JONATHAN TICHLER/Metropolitan Opera. Madison Leonard, 26, smiles as she stands with an event poster listing her as a finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert in this recent New York City photo. Leonard, a Coeur d’Alene High School graduate who continued her music education at Pepperdine and Northwestern universities, will return to the Inland Northwest for a concert later this year.
Madison Leonard, 26, performs on Sunday afternoon at the National Council Grand Finals Concert in the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Leonard, who graduated from Coeur d'Alene High School in 2010, was announced as the winner of the Middle Atlantic Region. She will return to the Inland Northwest for a concert in Spokane in September. Photo by RICHARD TERMINE/Metropolitan Opera
A 2010 Coeur d'Alene High School graduate is singing her way to the top.
On Sunday, Madison Leonard, 26, competed in the prestigious Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert in New York City.
She went in as one of nine finalists and ended on an even higher note. The soprano, who now lives in Maryland, was selected as the MONC winner of the Middle Atlantic Region. She was one of only five finalists who earned the top spot in their respective regions.
"We're thrilled, just bottom line, we're thrilled," Madison's mom, Denise Leonard of Hayden, told The Press on Tuesday. "She has worked hard honing her craft. We couldn't be more excited that she was able to do her best on such a big stage, and for her, a dream stage. The Metropolitan Opera was very thrilling, a great experience for sure."
Madison performed "Gualtier Maldè! ... Caro nome" from the three-act opera "Rigoletto" by Giuseppe Verdi as well as “Wo bin ich? Wach’ ich?” from Engelbert Humperdinck's "Hänsel und Gretel."
Her performances earned praise in a Tuesday review by New York Times classical music critic Anthony Tommasini: https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/05/01/arts/music/review-metropolitan-opera-auditions.html
"Madison Leonard, 26, a soprano, brought a bright, dexterous voice and sassy charm to an aria from Humperdinck’s 'Hänsel und Gretel,' and was especially at home in 'Caro nome' from Verdi’s 'Rigoletto,'" Tommasini wrote. "She seems headed intrepidly into the lyric-coloratura repertory. But who knows?"
Earlier this season, Madison joined the Washington National Opera in Washington, D.C., for several performances. She recently debuted with the D.C.-based National Symphony Orchestra, with which she will perform again later this year as a soloist.
The Northwestern University and Pepperdine University graduate also had the honor to sing at the White House State Dinner just last Tuesday thanks to her work with the Washington National Opera.
"It’s been quite a week for her, and she got married a month ago," Denise said. "She’s riding high. It's been pretty amazing."
Denise, who is the vice president of the Inland Northwest Opera board, was pleased to share that the talented Madison will return to the Inland Northwest in September when she performs at the Fox Theater in Spokane.