24 Facts About Susan Dunn

Susan Dunn was born on July 23,1954 and is a Grammy Award-winning American spinto soprano who has performed in many of the world's finest opera houses, concert halls, and theaters in operas, oratorios, and concert performances.

Susan Dunn would remain active in her church's music program throughout her childhood and teenage years.

When Susan Dunn was in sixth grade, she convinced her parents to buy her a piano and began taking piano lessons every Saturday for many years in Benton, Ark.

Susan Dunn entered Hendrix College in 1972 where she studied vocal music with Harold Thompson.

Susan Dunn continued her studies at the University of Illinois privately with renowned vocal coach and accompanist John Wustman.

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In 1983, Dunn won three more honors including the coveted Richard Tucker Award, Chicago's WGN-Illinois Opera Competition and the Dallas Morning News' G B Dealey Award.

Susan Dunn began her professional performing career in the early 1980s appearing in operas with good regional companies in the United States.

Susan Dunn made her professional debut in 1982 in the title role of Verdi's Aida with the Peoria Civic Opera.

In 1986, Susan Dunn made her debut at Avery Fisher Hall with Zubin Mehta and the New York Philharmonic as the soprano soloist in a production of Verdi's Requiem.

In 1987, Susan Dunn made her debut with Cincinnati Opera as Desdemona in Verdi's Otello.

Susan Dunn reprised the role the following year in her debut with Opera Australia.

Susan Dunn made several other debuts in 1988 including the role of Leonora in Verdi's Il trovatore with San Diego Opera, Leonora in Verdi's La forza del destino with Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Elisabetta in Verdi's Don Carlo with Dallas Opera.

Susan Dunn sang with James Conlon and the Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale at the 1988 Edinburgh International Festival.

In 1989, Susan Dunn made her debut with the Vienna State Opera as Amelia in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera and reprised the role later that year in her debut with the Houston Grand Opera.

Susan Dunn recorded Verdi's Requiem with Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony that year which went on to win a Grammy Award.

In 1990, Susan Dunn made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera as Leonora in Verdi's Il trovatore and her Carnegie Hall debut with the Opera Orchestra of New York as Elena in Verdi's I vespri siciliani.

In 1991, Susan Dunn made her Cologne Opera debut as Amelia in Verdi's Simon Boccanegra.

In 1992, Susan Dunn made her debut at London's Albert Hall with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Susan Dunn continued to be a prominent figure on the opera stage until the mid-1990s when she decided to take a teaching position at Duke University.

Susan Dunn has appeared with other notable companies such as the San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera and Pittsburgh Opera.

Susan Dunn has performed with several notable orchestras including the Orchestre de Paris, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the American Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, and the Minnesota Orchestra among others.

Susan Dunn has worked with some of the world's best conductors, including Sir Georg Solti, Riccardo Chailly, Claudio Abbado, James Conlon, Lorin Maazel, Seiji Ozawa, Edo de Waart, Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim among others.

In 1994, Susan Dunn was appointed to Duke University's music department as a professor of the practice.

Susan Dunn is married to American conductor and composer Scott Tilley.