University of Delaware Office of Public Relations The Messenger Vol. 6, No. 1/1996 Energetic diva brings athletic prowess to operatic roles A celebrated and world-famous soprano, Kristine Ciesinski is known for the panache and energy she brings to her roles. Forget the stereotypical operatic heroine with her formidable, unmoving presence. In her roles, Ciesinski, Delaware '74, is an active performer. She has climbed ladders, wowed audiences as Salome with her seductive dance of the seven veils and played Lady Macbeth on a tilted bed 21 feet above the stage. "The lady was over the edge, and I, literally, was over the edge of the bed," she says. "I give a physical performance and like to surprise the audience, which is my specialty. In opera, this is known as 'the day of the directors.' They demand singers who look the part, are able to act and are flexible," she says. Comparing her to a stereotypical Wagnerian opera singer is like comparing an apple to an orange, she says. "They have full, chocolately voices, and Wagner's operas are long and have unusually large, thick orchestration," Ciesinski says. "So, singers cannot really move around much and still be able to project text over the carpet of sound." Her voice tends to be more clear, bell-like and incisive. She confesses to preferring the roles of "psychologically interesting women," such as Salome, Medea or the lead in Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, who leaves a trail of corpses in pursuit of her lover. One magazine dubbed Ciesinski the "Wicked Lady of Opera." Off stage, Ciesinski enjoys mountain climbing, ice cave spelunking, white-water rafting, paragliding, skiing and other activities not usually associated with an opera diva. She and her husband, baritone Norman Bailey, have moved their home from London to Idaho, near the Grand Tetons and a famed music festival. When not on the road, they can still be a part of the musical world, while participating in the outdoor activities they both enjoy. Her athletic prowess may be inherited. Her father, Ray Ciesinski, Delaware '49, was a football player on the University's Cigar Bowl team and then "moved across the street" to become athletic director at Newark High School, serving for 35 years. Growing up in Newark, Del., and attending Newark High School, where she played basketball and hockey, Ciesinski says she never dreamed of becoming an opera singer or that her life would turn out the way it has. She did enjoy music, following in the footsteps of her older sister, Katherine, who has become an equally well-known opera singer. Both learned to play the piano from a neighbor and when a voice teacher moved into the neighborhood, they took lessons. They also studied ballet and tap dancing. As a teenager, Ciesinski began performing folk music with a group and singing church solos, while learning to play the French horn, the cello and percussion instruments. When she graduated from high school, she thought seriously of becoming a teacher, following in the footsteps of her father and mother, the late Kay Hansen Ciesinski. Although she studied music education at Temple University, she was encouraged there to become a vocal performer. Ciesinski enrolled in 1972 at the University of Delaware to study with Joe Huszti, who headed the voice program at the time. Two years later, she followed her teacher when he moved to Boston University. After graduation, she studied in Washington, D.C., with Todd Duncan, who played the original Porgy in Porgy and Bess. To support herself, she led exercise classes and cleaned lavatories and showers in a health club. She also sang in the opera chorus at the Kennedy Center and landed some roles with local operas, such as Madame Butterfly with a Baltimore opera company. Ciesinski's career took off in 1977. She was encouraged to enter the Geneva International Competition and she won. She also won the Salzburg International Opera Competition and a scholarship to the Salzburg Mozarteum. "As my husband put it, after 10 years of training and hard work, I was an overnight success," she says. Acquiring an agent, she began singing at opera houses in Europe and the world, including the Bolshoi in Russia, La Scala in Milan and the Opera de Bastille in Paris. "Europe's opera tradition differs from the United States," she says. "In Germany, there are many opera houses within a relatively small area, and families traditionally attend the opera regularly." Her family is in the forefront of her most loyal fans. "It was thrilling to see her on posters all over Paris and to watch her perform. We traveled to China, Taiwan and Japan as well as Europe," her father says. Being an opera singer is a multifaceted profession, Ciesinski says. Of necessity, she is a linguist. Tall and lithe, she also works at remaining fit. Preparing for a new role takes months of intensive work, not only learning the music and lyrics, but acting and dancing as well. Because she travels extensively, Ciesinski is grateful for e- mail to keep track of her friends and complicated finances, which involve payments in several currencies. She most enjoys singing with her sister. The two had roles in the southwest premier of Dominick Argento's Dream of Valentino in Dallas in 1995 and presented a sold-out concert dedicated to their mother in the Performing Arts Series at the University in November. -Sue Swyers Moncure