News
TV Debut on ABC’s Body of Proof
October 5, 2011
On October 4, 2011 Aliana de la Guardia made her television debut on ABC’s Body of Proof. In the episode “Missing,” a nanny is murdered and the child in her charge goes missing.
A slide show of pictures from her TV debut!
WATCH THE FULL EPISODE
De la Guardia Records Palin/Biden Opera
June 2011
This week Aliana de la Guardia travels to on site to NH for a week long retreat to professionally record “Say It Ain’t So, Joe,” Curtis K. Hughes’s political opera based on text from public record of the 2008 Palin/Biden Vice-Presidential debate. The opera received international attention in 2009 for its portrayal of prominent political figures such as Joe Biden, Hilary Clinton, Diane Sawyer, Sarah Palin, and even Joe “the plumber.” She will be rejoining cast and ensemble members from the 2009 world premiere production, Jennifer Ashe, Amanda Keil, Brian Church, Kent O’Doherty, Mike Williams, and Rane Moore. More information regarding the official CD release will be made available later in the year..
Follow the rehearsal and recording process on Twitter with hash tag, #SayItAintSoJoe.
De la Guardia performs with Guerilla Opera during Opera America Conference 2011 in Boston
May 2011
Soprano & Actor, Aliana de la Guardia, reprises her role as “Dog” in Rudolf Rojahn’s dark, sci-fi comedy, Heart of a Dog, again with Guerilla Opera during the Opera America Conference 2011 in Boston, MA.
Visit www.guerillaopera.com for more info.
New Music Box Interviews Aliana de la Guardia
November 10, 2010
Amanda Keil interviews de la Guardia in “Sing a New Song: How Contemporary Vocal Music Will Save the World.”
Keil writes: “Ah, contemporary classical music… the genre attracts highly intelligent and versatile musicians, usually the types who are happy to seek adventure outside of the opera mainstream. Then there is Guerrilla Opera, a young ensemble with the vibe of a garage band that commissions new works and courageously performs them without a conductor…. ‘I want people to think about going to new music the same way that they think about going to the movies,’ says co-founder Aliana de la Guardia. ‘People forget that Mozart was a premiere.’”
Visit www.newmusicbox.org to read the entire article.
Dirty Paloma Gets a Make-Over
October 22, 2010
Aliana de la Guardia, known for her performances with Guerilla Opera, gives her performance series “Dirty Paloma” a make-over. The soprano took a chance and flew solo from Guerilla Opera last season presenting a concert series of wildly varied works under this new project, but this make-over doesn’t just include new branding from designer Holly Gordon. The “dirty bird” emerges as a fiscally sponsored project under Fractured Atlas and with a revised mission to engage and expose innovative artists, and explore intimate programming, with an emphasis on works for small ensemble.
“When I thought to make-over this performance project, for artistic and economical reasons, I wanted to stay close to the mission of Guerilla Opera –a mission I believe in very strongly. The difference is I minimized the ensemble even further and chose works composed for two people, in the case of the upcoming program, violin and soprano. I am also interested in exploring ways audiences can be exposed to operatic music and live performances by experimenting with venues, repertoire, and theatrical techniques.” (Aliana de la Guardia, Artistic Director)
The upcoming production entitled “Resurrection”, features the world premier staging of two works, Suite for Voice and Violin, by Heitor Villa-Lobos, directed by Adrienne Boris (Opera Boston), and Dodo as Avian Christ, by Rudolf Rojahn, directed by Roxanna Myhrum (Puppet Showplace Theatre) with puppetry, production design by Julia Noulin-Mérat, with performers Gabriela Diaz, violin, and Aliana de la Guardia, soprano.
There will be preview concerts of “Resurrection” performed by Diaz and de la Guardia where audiences will be able to hear the works performed with out staging to generate excitement for the fully produced theatrical works to follow. Sign up for our email newsletter or visit www.dirtypaloma.com for more information.
Soprano & Actor, Aliana de la Guardia Sings Title Role in “Heart of a Dog”
August 15, 2010
Soprano, Aliana de la Guardia will sing the title role in the next Guerilla Opera production of “Heart of a Dog” by Rudolf Rojahn. She originated the role in September 2007 and now will perform it again in an entirely new production directed by Copeland Woodruff, three-time winner of the National Opera Association Best Production Award.
Visit www.guerillaopera.com for more info.
Combating opera’s death sentence with a Guerilla-style attack: Soprano Aliana de la Guardia on overcoming fears for opera’s future.
March 19, 2010
Emily Šaras of Operagasm interviews de la Guardia about overcoming the obstacles of new repertoire for singers.
Šaras writes: “‘IS OPERA GOING EXTINCT?’ asks a well-meaning friend, worried about my future as a young singer embarking upon a career in opera… I sat down to speak with soprano Aliana de la Guardia, an artist at the forefront of the contemporary opera scene in Boston, about her strategies for keeping young audiences excited about opera so that the genre will have a sustainable future.”
Visit www.operagasm.com to read the entire interview.
Soprano de la Guardia’s First Dirty Paloma
November 20, 2009
Larry Phillips reviews Dirty Paloma’s inaugural concert of standard and contemporary works featuring a new work by Marti Epstein and the world premieres of new compositions by Rudolf Rojahn, Masaki Hasebe and John Murphree.
“There is a new musical group in town, whose mission is ‘to engage and expose innovative performers, musicians, and composers, and to explore innovative programming.’ Its name, Dirty Paloma, might seem odd at first, but it is clever; you won’t forget it. It’s all the brainchild of soprano and actor Aliana de la Guardia, and the inaugural concert on November 19 certainly lived up to the mission. Ranging from Handel, Brahms, to Barber and Berg, the program included three world premieres from composers who were in the audience.”
De la Guardia gets “Dirty”
November 16, 2009
This month, contemporary soprano and actor Aliana de la Guardia presented the first concert under her new company Dirty Paloma with great success.
The mission of the company is to engage and expose innovative performers, musicians and composers. They did just that on November 19, 2009 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brookline, MA with an eclectic program featuring new works by four composers, three of which were the world premieres of works commissioned to be performed specifically on this concert mixed with works of more known composers such as Berg, Brahms and Barber.
“I have so many ideas, and I’m so excited to try them out,” says de la Guardia. Meanwhile she and Jonathan Nussman are taking this show on the road, beginning with another performance of this concert on February 3, 2009 at The Boston Conservatory’s Seully Hall.
Visit www.dirtypaloma.com for more info.
Stuff Magazine features Aliana de la Guardia and other young talent in Boston: “Rising stars: Local talents shine bright”
April 3, 2009
It’s rare, these days, for a young singer to choose sophisticated musicality over the pop-trashy trappings of American Idol. Soprano Aliana de la Guardia’s powerful pipes and dedication to contemporary classical music make her a refreshingly anomalous player on the Boston music scene… Move over, pop princesses — this prima donna is headed for the top. (April 03, 2009)
Visit stuffboston.com to read the entire article.
PRI’s The World showcases soprano Aliana de la Guardia & violinist Gabriela Diaz performing Kurtàg’s Kafka Fragments
February 23, 2009
This podcast features Soprano Aliana de la Guardia and Violinist Gabriela Diaz of The Ludovico Ensemble performing selections from Kurtàg’s Kafka Fragments followed by an interview with the performers. The Worldbooks Podcast is co-produced by BBC World Series in London, Public Radio International, and WGBH Boston. (February 2009)
Listen to this podcast on the Media page.
Interview with Aliana de la Guardia for an article on rising opera companies in Boston: “Puccini goes punk” by Sara Faith Alterman
Published January 23, 2009
Taking further steps away from traditional opera is the Guerilla Opera company, a collection of singers and instrumentalists who exclusively perform new works created for them. “We are a chamber ensemble, and perform in minimalist venues with minimalist production,” says Aliana de la Guardia, a soprano and the general manager of Guerilla Opera, which is also an ensemble-in-residence at Boston Conservatory. “The goal is to cultivate a repertoire of chamber operas — operas on a smaller scale. This is counter to the convention of opera as it is now.”
Visit www.thephoenix.com to read the whole article.