Her Story
About Ada
I have been in the music industry for nearly 45 years, working as a classical music performer, voice teacher, and composer. I started performing when I was young, and have performed mainly in classical music, though I've also performed in popular genres and Broadway genres. I won scholarships for young opera singers and went to Italy, where I got my master's degree in music at the Conservatory of Bologna in 1986. While there, I was fortunate to receive coaching from Luciano Pavarotti, Soprano Mirel Lafrini, and the Maestro Leona Majira, and I was able to perform later with them. I have taught at New World School of the Arts and Miami Dade College as a vocal coach, both in the high school and college departments, for many years. Though I am no longer teaching in college, I am teaching privately. I am the co-founder and artistic director of the Romanza Lyric Opera, a non-profit organization whose goal and mission is to promote the music of opera and musical theater in our communities locally, especially to spread the music to underserved communities and people who usually don't go to see Broadway plays or opera. I've been doing this since 2015. I just wrote a musical called 'The Pirate's Daughters' that was produced locally here in Miami very successfully, and I'm in the process of getting in touch with other theater companies to seek other performances and productions, with the goal of touring.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ada
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think my success comes from my commitment to hard work and to following through on a goal when I am set out to do it. I believe in God, and I believe in inspiration. In fact, I think everything that I have ever composed or written, including the script for my musical 'The Pirate's Daughters' and the original story, comes from being in touch with the divine energy within us. The more I am in touch with the divine energy within us, the more I am inspired, and the better I can compose or write, or sing, for that matter, or teach.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Never think that you are done. Never think that you have reached the pinnacle. There's always room for growth.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell them to keep their eyes on the goal, but not the goal to be the most famous singer or the most famous composer. The goal should be to be the better version of themselves that they can achieve - to be the best musician, the best singer, the best writer, and the best person that they can be. And then, if the stars are aligned, maybe fame will come along, but I don't think fame should be the goal. If fame comes, that will follow, but if not, you still know that you achieved as best as you could, and that is very rewarding.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Faith is very important to me. I truly believe in our higher being, I call it God, because it's sweet and short. I let go and let God - I allow that energy, divine energy, to guide my thoughts and my words and actions as much as possible, as much as is humanly possible. And of course, that leads and guides us into having good moral character and integrity. Honesty. Truth. And then joy - it's important to be joyful. It's important to look at the glass half full and keep a positive perspective on everything as much as possible.
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