KAY KREKOW, soprano and managing director, is an acclaimed interpreter of the heroines of Puccini.  She has sung Anna in Le villi (….a lovely supple soprano….a nuanced, convincing performance….Times); Fidelia in the 1889, 1891, and 1905 Edgar; both Mimi and Musetta in La bohème; the title role in Tosca (“...powerfully sung...striking….” Washington Post, “….colored her voice in daring ways….never compromised the beauty of her appealing voice….” Gazette; "in her prime vocally...impressive in the maturity of her artistry."  Concertonet.com);  Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly:  The Maestro’s Edition  (“Her delivery of the great aria Un bel di was as fine as any major soprano around the world. It was sung with a gorgeous tone and was impeccably phrased.” Concertonet.com); Magda in La rondine; and the triumvirate of Suor Angelica, Giorgetta, and Lauretta in Il trittico.  And her recent triumph as Minnie in La fanciulla del West “can only be described as vocally magnificent and dramatically thrilling…” (Concertonet.com). She has sung the rarely heard Mimi in Leoncavallo’s La bohème; Leonora in performances of Verdi’s Il trovatore, with the Silesian State Opera (Czech Republic); Beethoven’s Fidelio (MD Symphony Orchestra, Barry Tuckwell, conductor); and Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni (Maryland Lyric Opera).  In partnership with her favorite tenor and husband, Harry Dunstan, she has appeared in programs such as Opera Goes to the Movies and Bella Italia.  Miss Krekow has presented concerts featuring the poetry and music of women troubadours, cabaret songs of the French Impressionists, and Diva’s Song:  the Works of 19^th Century Opera Divas.  Oratorio works include the Verdi Requiem at Washington National Cathedral under the baton of J. Reilly Lewis (“...a warm, powerful quality....” Washington Post); and the Poulenc Gloria with the New Dominion Chorale, under the direction of composer, Thomas Beveridge (“….sang with limpid tone and deep expressiveness….” Washington Post).  She was the soprano soloist in the Opera Camarata of Washington’s presentation of Donizetti’s Requiem, marking only the second performance in the United States of this rare work.  Other repertoire includes Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem; Hoiby’s For You, O Democracy; Honneger’s King David (“….big, luscious voice...a pleasure to listen to….” The Capital); Saint-Saen’s Christmas Oratorio; Handel’s Messiah; Bach’s Magnificat; and both the Pergolesi and the Rossini Stabat Mater.  One of the highlights of her career was the critical acclaim received from Dr. William Ashbrook, perhaps the greatest opera scholar of our time, when he said, “Miss Krekow’s performance of Suor Angelica was one of the greatest musical dramatic events of my life”.