Donna Anna was sung by the outstanding soprano, Heather McConnell, whose mature, dramatic voice soared passionately and exquisitely throughout.

Soprano Heather McConnell is a dynamic artist based in Philadelphia. She is as comfortable singing Mozart as she is diving into contemporary music, but she is best known for her "thrilling" interpretations of Verdi. In the 2024 season, Ms. McConnell was an Apprentice Artist at Sarasota Opera, where she covered Frasquita in Carmen, performed scenes from La Gioconda (Gioconda), Un giorno di regno (La Marchesa), and Faust (Marguerite), and added the title role in Luisa Miller to her repertoire. In 2023, she was an Emerging Artist at the Seagle Festival, appearing as Dying Juana in With Blood, With Ink and Fruma Sarah in Fiddler on the Roof. Other recent performances include Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Giulietta in Les contes d'Hoffmann, Nedda in Pagliacci, Elle in La voix humaine, Dido in Dido and Aeneas, and Sa femme in Le pauvre matelot. 

A versatile performer, Ms. McConnell is passionate about opera outreach and exploring the connections between opera and other arts. She is a Co-Managing Diva of Opera on Tap Philadelphia, and she can be seen performing with the chapter in unconventional venues throughout the greater Philadelphia area. Ms. McConnell has also appeared in a wide variety of theater, including Into the Woods (Cinderella), In the Next Room… (Catherine Givings), The Scarlet Pimpernel (Marguerite), Kiss Me, Kate (Lilli Vanessi/Kate), and How to Succeed… (Miss Jones). 

Ms. McConnell’s artistry has been recognized by the Boyer College of Music and Dance, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Presser Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Sunderman Conservatory, and Chester County Choral Society. In addition to her active performance career, Ms. McConnell maintains an online voice studio. She holds a Master of Music in Voice Performance from Temple University and a Bachelor of Music, summa cum laude, from Gettysburg College. Ms. McConnell currently studies with Maria Russo.