|
The Ecuadorian soprano, Beatriz Parra Durango, was born in Guayaquil. Her mother was journalist Dora Durango Lopez. Her first studies took place at the Conservatory Antonio Neumane in Guayaquil, where she became the soloist of the Conservatory's choir. In 1957 she received her first prize when she participated in the competition "Searching for a Voice in Ecuador", organized by the House of Culture and Radio CRE. The same year she became part of the cast of the Lyrical Ensemble of the House of Culture, and in 1958 she performed for the first time as a soloist onstage in the role of Duchess Carolina in the zarzuela Luisa Fernanda. In 1959 she sang the lead role in the Spanish opera Marina under the direction of the Spanish Maestro Carlos Arijita. In 1960 she travelled to Moscow on a scholarship given by the Ministry of Culture of the then USSR, and studied classical singing at the Moscow Conservatory, studying under Nina Dorliak, wife to pianist Sviatoslav Richter. She graduated with the Award For Excellence in 1966. In 1965 she won the silver medal and second place in the International Vocal Competition organized by the city of Toulouse, France. She sang as a soloist with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra. That same year she received the gold medal in the Musical Competition of George Enesco, Romania. She earned several first places in vocal competitions in Barcelona and Santiago de Compostela. In 1975 she received the award "Conchita Badía" in Santiago de Compostela.
For 15 years Beatriz Parra was a prima donna and soloist with the Teatro Colon de Botega in Colombia (Colombia Opera Theater), where her repertoire included verismo such as Verdi and Puccini, romanticists such as Donizetti and classicists such as W.A. Mozart. She returned to Moscow regularly for concert appearances and festivals. and performed the role of Michaela in Georges Bizet's Carmen for the Bolshoi Opera House. Other roles included included Lucia, Gilda, Rosina, and Norina. In the fall of 2001 she was a guest performer of the Iberoamerican Culture Festival.
Beatriz Parra married Enrique Gil, with whom she had her only daughter, singer and classical trainee Beatriz Gil Parra. Currently, although retired, she teaches voice as head of the Beatriz Parra Foundation, along with the Armenian baritone Konstantin Simonian.
She currently lives in Barox, New York. |
