Sonja Tengblad

Described as “radiant” by Opera Magazine, recent highlights for soprano Sonja DuToit Tengblad include Shostakovich Symphony No. 14 with A Far Cry, Mahler’s 2nd Symphony with the Boston Philharmonic, Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with the Boston Landmarks Orchestra; Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea (Drusilla, Fortuna) and Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria (La Fortuna, Giunone; Grammy-nominated recording with Linn Records), Vivaldi’s Juditha triumphans (Abra and Ozias), and Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (First Lady) with Boston Baroque; Bach’s St. John Passion and Purcell’s Fairy Queen (2nd Fairy, Juno) and Dido and Aeneas (2nd Woman) with the Handel and Haydn Society; Francesca Caccini's Alcina with the Boston Early Music Festival; Handel's Messiah with the Rhode Island Philharmonic; guest appearances with the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus and Minnesota’s Bach Roots; Puccini's Suor Angelica (Sister Dolcina) with the Lorelei Ensemble and the Boston Symphony Orchestra; and her Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center debuts, both with the New York City Chamber Orchestra. She was awarded 2nd place in the 2014 American Prize competition’s art song and oratorio division.

A champion of new music, Ms. Tengblad co-curated Modern Dickinson, a touring program featuring all 21st century settings of Emily Dickinson’s poetry that was named the #3 Best Arts Event in Austin, Texas 2015 and nominated for four Austin Critic’s Table Awards. She has premiered and recorded two works with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and in 2015 premiered Shirish Korde’s Questions for the Moon with members of the Silk Road Ensemble. A highlight for Ms. Tengblad was appearing in a concert celebrating the 80th birthday of composer Dominic Argento (in attendance) for which the Minnesota Star Tribune reported her to have given “the most affective performance of the evening”. In 2017 she co-founded the soprano/percussion duo Beat Song with percussionist Jonathan Hess.

Ms. Tengblad performs with the Lorelei Ensemble, Blue Heron, and the Grammy-winning ensemble Conspirare and their national tours of Considering Matthew Shepard. Upcoming highlights include a national tour of Julia Wolfe’s Her Story with Lorelei (co-commissioned by Nashville Symphony, Chicago Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Boston Symphony, and National Symphony Orchestras), as well as a climate change-centered program with Calliope’s Call, Boston’s premiere art song organization.

In 2019, Ms. Tengblad founded Beyond Artists, a coalition of artists that pledge a portion of their concert fees to organizations they care about. With every performance she supports climate change work through Eden Reforestation Project or the Environmental Defense Fund in addition to Braver Angels, an institution that cultivates effective bipartisan conversation. She teaches at Wellesley College and is the founder and coordinator of Mothers Out Front East Boston, fighting for a livable climate for all children. www.sonjatengblad.com