Hannah Ludwig ’14
Biography provided by Hannah Ludwig
Mezzo-soprano Hannah Ludwig '14, a resident artist at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, was born and raised in Sacramento and attended local schools.
She began taking voice lessons at 6 with Tina Harris, now St. Francis High School choir director, and later with Constance Weichert, formerly an instructor at CSU Stanislaus. It was Weichert who expose Ludwig to opera.
"She instantly said 'You need to sing classical music,'" Ludwig said of Weichert. "I wasn't sure at first, but she introduced me to some arias and art songs and I was hooked. I truly dove into opera when I began training with Professor Burr Phillips at University of the Pacific. He showed me what my voice was capable of and always stressing how it can be joyous and beautiful. I owe so much to all my wonderful teachers from Northern California."
Ludwig and fellow Pacific alumna Yelena Dyachek, a Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions semifinalist for 2015-16, knew of each other growing up through competitions and later performed together in opera productions at Pacific. Both were in the Conservatory of Music's Pacific Opera Theatre production of "The Merry Wives of Windsor," which took first place in the National Opera Association's 2013 Opera Production Competition.
At Pacific, Ludwig was an active member of Sigma Alpha Iota and worked as a resident assistant and assistant residence director for Residential Life and Housing. She is grateful to all the faculty members of the voice and opera program at the Conservatory for their constant support and guidance.
Ludwig earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music.
She is the Puerto Rico District Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions for the 2015-16 season, but did not advance to the semifinals. She was also a finalist in the Palm Springs Opera Guild Competition in 2012 and 2013.
Past credits include Isabella in "L'Italiana in Algeri" (Academy of Vocal Arts), The Witch in "Hansel and Gretel" (Philadelphia Sinfonia), and Prince Orlofsky in "Die Fledermaus" (Stockton Opera).
She returns to Northern California whenever she can to visit her parents and sister in the Sacramento area and to perform throughout Northern California.
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