Savanna Sokolnicki, soprano
(USA)
Soprano Savanna Sokolnicki is a distinguished international performer, acclaimed vocal instructor, stage director, and language expert. With a performing career that spans across Asia, Europe, and North America, her extensive and versatile repertoire includes beloved bel canto, romantic operatic masterpieces, and contemporary works.
Recent career highlights include notable performances with the Nashville Opera in Il Pagliacci, Les contes d’Hoffmann, and Amahl and the Night Visitors. Dr. Sokolnicki was also featured in the world premiere of The Wide Waters by Ron Beckett with Arcady Opera in Ontario, Canada, and performed in the York Symphony Orchestra’s holiday concert series.
Throughout her career, Dr. Sokolnicki has portrayed a wide range of iconic roles, including Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni (Orvieto, Italy), Juliette in Roméo et Juliette (Lexington, KY), Mrs. Peachum in The Threepenny Opera (Nashville, TN), Lily in The Secret Garden (Rochester, NY), Freulein Schneider in Cabaret, and Olga in The Merry Widow. She remains an active performing artist in Nashville, where she recently appeared as the soprano soloist in performances of Brahms' Requiem, the Alessandro Melani Concerto for Trumpet and Soprano, and a Women in Music concert.
In addition to her thriving performance career, Dr. Sokolnicki is a respected educator and voice specialist. She currently serves as Assistant Professor of Classical Voice at Belmont University, where she also directs the Opera Theatre program. As a passionate educator, she teaches private voice lessons and frequently shares her expertise through lectures at universities and conferences on vocal pedagogy, music, and language.
Dr. Sokolnicki’s scholarly research includes her dissertation titled “Gretchen's Soliloquy ‘Ach Neige Du Schmerzenreiche’ from Goethe's Faust: A Vocal Performance Analysis and Set of Performance Guidelines for Various Solo Voice Settings.” Her academic work has been highlighted through two successful lecture recitals—one focusing on German lieder associated with the character of Gretchen from Goethe's Faust, and another centered on the music of renowned Canadian composer John Greer.
Originally from the Greater Toronto Area, Dr. Sokolnicki completed her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Vocal Performance at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. She later earned a Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) degree from the University of Kentucky.