Born: Peru

The Peruvian mezzo-soprano Zoila Muñoz received her musical training in Lima and at the New England Conservatory in Boston, where she received her Maters Degree in Voice. Following studies at the Mozarteum in Salzburg with Paul Schilhawsky, Erik Werba, and Nikolaus Harnoncourt, she was awarded First Prize in both the Mozart Competition and the International Opera Competition.

Zoila Muñoz has since established an outstanding reputation in Europe both in concert and in opera, especially from the sacred and secular Baroque repertoire, including Monteverdi's Vespers and Orfeo at the Holland Festival and Handel's Xerxes under Jean-Claude Magloire in France. She has also received acclaim as Rossini's heroines Isabella and Rosina, as Carmen, and Baba the Turk in The Rake's Progress. Her dramatic interpretation and remarkable voice have equally drawn praise. Among the major conductors with whom she has performed are Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Jean Claude Malgoire, Jean-Francois Pailliard, and Alan Curtis.

In the USA, Zoila Muñoz has sung with Portland Opera and Sacramento Opera. With Apollo Opera her roles have included Dido, Gluck's Orfeo, Dorabella, Poppea, and Ersibe in Cavalli's L'Ormindo. Muñoz also sang Suzuki with great success in 1997 production of Madama Butterfly with Apollo Opera.

Zoila Muñoz can be heard with the American Bach Soloists in the recording of Bach's B-Minor Mass (BWV 232) on the Koch international Classics label.

Source: Liner notes to the 2-CD album ‘J.S. Bach: Mass in B minor BWV 232’ conducted by Jeffrey Thomas (Koch International, 1992); West Bay Opera Website (February 1998)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (September 2001)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Jeffrey Thomas

Alto

BWV 232 [w/ American Bach Soloists]

Links to other Sites

Zoila Muñoz (West Bay Opera)

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