Following in the family tradition, the soprano Angelica Girardi began to study the piano at the age of eight, obtaining her diploma from the Bari Conservatory in 1999. The following year she earned her singing diploma, and in 2004 she graduated in vocal chamber music. She carried out further studies under the guidance of the soprano A. Felle, and attended the master-classes of M. Aspinall, K. Ricciarelli, A. Tabiadon, V. Terrnova and G. Zarrelli. She also undertook courses at the Belcanto Summer School of Dordrecht in The Netherlands. As a pianist, she perfected her studies under the guidance of P. Camicia.

She distinguished herself in numerous national and international competitions, winning first prize at the Rosa Ponselle Competition in Matera, and a special prize at the fourth R. Leoncavallo Competition in Cosenza. She took part in numerous recitals, and was invited to appear both as a pianist and a soprano in the Arab Emirates.

In 2001 she made her début as Phènice in Piccinni's Didon. In 2002 she appeared once again in a Piccinni opera, La cecchina maritata, as Il Marchese, and played Giannetta in Donizetti’s L'elisir d'amore. In 2004 she sang in Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos (Echo), in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro (Barbarina), under the direction of M. Scaparro, and in Rota's Il cappello di paglia di Firenze (La Modista), directed by A. Piva. In 2008 she was Serpina in Pergolesi’s La serva padrona directed by C. Scaron. Her rôle in Marcella marked her début at the Festival della Valle d'Itria.

JANUARY 2009