Opera Voice with Danika F.

Award-winning, Filipino-American spinto soprano Danika has performed mainstage roles including Laetitia in Menotti’s Old Maid and the Thief and Countess Violante in Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera. She has also debuted as a soloist with Oakland Symphony Chorus in Handel’s Messiah, Oakland Civic Orchestra in Mahler 4 and the Mill Valley Philharmonic in Gounod’s Gallia. One of her fondest musical memories is being a soloist with the RGB Arts Festival; a collaboration with San Francisco State University’s music and poetry department, performing new works. She is a recipient of an Encouragement Award at the 2018 San Francisco District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. She is also the recipient of the President's Scholarship from The New School and the Carla Roed Scholarship from San Francisco State University. Danika is currently pursuing her Master’s of Music in Voice at Mannes School of Music, The New School under the tutelage of Beth Roberts and is coached by Cristina Stanescu and Marc Verzatt. She received her Bachelor’s of Music from San Francisco State University in 2019. Danika is passionate about bringing awareness to the lost history of Philippine indigenous and Spanish-European influenced filipino colonial music. She became aware of the lack of resources regarding this particular niche of music and became invested in its research and performance practices with the intent of promoting an awareness of the history and culture of her racial identity. Beyond music, Danika is passionate about her outreach work serving impoverished communities in Mexico, the Philippines and Peru. Her prior work towards this cause involves first-hand serving of the poor through building homes, assisting with their physical and material needs, video and graphic design and strategic marketing.