Cristina Nassif, soprano Universally acclaimed for her powerful and expressive voice and for her electric stage presence, Cristina Nassif is quickly establishing herself as one of the finest singing actresses on the American operatic stage. She made her Washington National Opera debut last May, bringing her bold soprano and fiery temperament to the role of Vitellia in Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito.  Audiences and critics alike have praised her recent performances as Bizet’s Carmen, and Verdi’s Violetta.  Her varied repertoire also includes Nedda, Tatiana, Zemfira, Musetta, Rosina, Alice Ford, Donna Elvira, Pamina and Despina. This February, Ms. Nassif made her Carnegie Hall debut in an evening of Operatic Highlights at Weill Recital Hall sponsored by the Italian Academy Foundation and in cooperation with the International Opera Alliance (IOA).  She has performed with Virginia Opera, the Virginia Symphony, the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Chamber Soloists of Philadelphia, Wichita Grand Opera, Central City Opera, and the Opera Theater of Pittsburgh among others.  Equally at home on the concert stage, Ms. Nassif has been hailed for the distinct quality of her voice, for her charismatic stage presence and for her innate ability to sincerely communicate both music and text. Concert appearances include the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's "Concert of Operatic Highlights", the Ocean City Pops' July 4th "Patriotic Salute", “Duende!” (an all-Spanish solo recital) sponsored by the International Poetry Forum in Pittsburgh, “Opera on the Square” in Philadelphia, the “AIDS Marathon Opera Gala” in Washington, D.C. and her Embassy Series debut at the Austrian Embassy in a concert devoted to the works of Korngold. Other works include Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Lobgesang. Upcoming engagements include a Benefit Concert at Carnegie Lecture Hall in Pittsburgh, Penn. and May performances of Carmen with both Shreveport Opera and The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra.