Soprano Maria Knapik is an internationally famed Polish-Canadian soprano who has performed at many major classical music venues across North America and Europe. Her broad and rich repertoire allows her talents to shine brightly both on the opera stage and in concert and oratorio. The New York Times praised her highly for her performances with the New York Grand Opera, finding her "an affecting Liu," a Nedda with "flirtatious vigor and tonal elegance," a "magnetic" Suor Angelica, a Manon Lescaut with "wonderful high notes" and "the clear star of the show" as Mimi in La Bohème.

Ms. Knapik recently received high critical acclaim in the title role of Poland's great national opera, Halka, by Moniuszko, at the National Theatre in Warsaw and in Sarasota Opera. She has performed in Moniuszko's The Countess in Warsaw, as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with Opera Lyra in Ottawa, and as Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte with the Jacksonville Symphony. Her Verdi repertoire includes Alice Ford in Falstaff with the Ukraine State Opera, as well as the famously difficult title roles of Alzira and Giovanna D'Arco with the New York Grand Opera in Carnegie Hall.

Ms. Knapik has a busy schedule of concert and oratorio performances, including Gorecki's Third Symphony with the Ottawa Symphony, Beethoven's Ninth with the Krakow Philharmonic, Poulenc's Gloria at the Kennedy Center with the Washington Chorus, Strauss's Four Last Songs with the Winnipeg Symphony, Mendelssohn's Elijah with the Kingston Symphony, and Handel's Messiah with Orchestre Baroque de Montréal.

Originally from Poland, Ms. Knapik sang as the youngest of "The Eight Knapik Sisters," who performed more than 2800 concerts in tours of Europe and the British Isles, as well as on Polish radio and television. In 2003 she won the Gerda Lissner Foundation vocal competition in New York City and in 2005 was awarded the International Rising Star of Opera Award by the American Institute of Polish Culture. She was invited by Licia Albanese and the Puccini Foundation to sing as a special guest at New York's Lincoln Centre Alice Tully Hall. Her social commitment and love of music have led her to organize or participate in numerous gala benefit concerts, most recently at the Lincoln Center, as well as to dedicate long hours to vocal teaching and promoting young talent and artistic endeavor in the Ottawa community.

To see video clips from Maria's performances, please click the image below; a new browser window will appear. In the new browser, click the "Play" button to start loading the video.