Dara Hobbs

Born in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, Hobbs studied at Northwestern University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in European history in 1994 and Master of Music in 1997.

[2][3] She was a member of the Theater Krefeld und Mönchengladbach from 2007 to 2012, where she performed title roles such as Verdi's Aida, Puccini's Tosca and Suor Angelica, and Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss.

Other major parts included the Countess in Mozart's Il nozze, Lisa in Tchaikovsky's Pique Dame, and Elisabeth in Verdi's Don Carlos.

[2] The performance in Minden, staged by Matthias von Stegmann and played by the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie conducted by Frank Beermann, with Andreas Schager as Tristan, received international recognition.

[5] A reviewer from Vienna called her performance sensational and described in detail her voice as well-trained, clear, full, and at the same time mellow and with metal luster in high range ("bestens durchgebildete, klare, große Stimme, zugleich weich, warm, voll und mit Metallklang in den Höhen, wo gefordert"), a voice to express the dramatic situations.