Sonja DuToit Tengblad

Supports: Eden Reforestation Projects (rainforest protection by indigenous people), Mothers Out Front (mothers fighting for a livable climate ), Braver Angels (bipartisan conversation), Singers of this Age (diversity and equity in the arts)

Described as “radiant” by Opera Magazine, recent highlights for soprano Sonja DuToit Tengblad include Shostakovich Symphony No. 14 and Porpora’s Calcante ed Achille (Achille) 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; Handel’s Acis and Galatea (Galatea) with the Blue Hill Bach Festival; 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 Oratory Bach; Puccini's Suor Angelica (Sister Dolcina) with the Lorelei Ensemble and the Boston Symphony Orchestra; numerous works, premieres and recordings with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, 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 curated Modern Dickinson (with Seattle Opera regular Eric Neuville, tenor, and Austin Chamber Music Festival’s artistic director Michelle Schumann, piano), 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, featuring world premieres by Emmy award-winning composer Kareem Roustom, ASCAP Nissim Prize winner Matthew Peterson, and Adam Jacob Simon.

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

In 2019, Ms. Tengblad founded Beyond Artists, a coalition of artists that pledge a portion of their concert fees to organizations they care about and therefore publicize the nonprofit’s work. With every performance she supports climate change work through Eden Reforestation Projects, Singers Of This Age, and Braver Angels, an institution that cultivates effective bipartisan conversation. She is the founder and coordinator of Mothers Out Front East Boston and the producer of Marc Hoffeditz’ “Mr. Twister and the Tale of Tornado Alley”, a 2022-2023 touring children’s opera project promoting STEM concepts and climate change solutions to communities. She teaches at Wellesley College and Harvard University.