Internationally renowned opera soprano Catherine Malfitano has joined the faculty of DePaul University’s School of Music as Visiting Professor of Voice and Opera. Malfitano will teach master classes to DePaul’s vocal performance students.

"Catherine Malfitano is the most exciting opera performer working today," said Donald Casey, dean of the School of Music. "Not only is she a superb singer, but her dramatic abilities literally place her in a class of her own. Henry Fogel, president of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, accurately described her as the ‘Heir to Maria Callas.’ She will be an incredible inspiration for our students."

Malfitano will share her talents and experience this fall with students enrolled in a new course called "The Singing Actor: More Than Just Singing." The course will train singers to become more complete performers, physically, vocally and dramatically. Casey said Malfitano will teach another specialized course in the spring and more courses in the years to follow.

Since her professional debut in 1972, Malfitano has appeared at all of the world’s leading opera houses. Among her more than 1,000 performances are 200 sung with the Metropolitan Opera and 100 with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Her stage repertoire of more than 60 roles spans operatic history, from Monteverdi to Bolcom. Among her many awards is an Emmy for her 1992 live Rome performance of Tosca opposite Placido Domingo.

As a leading singing actress, Malfitano is dedicated to raising the level of believability in opera performance worldwide. Remembering the guidance she received from many of her colleagues, she often gives master classes at DePaul and at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Because of her role as an inspirational mentor for students, DePaul’s School of Music chose Malfitano to give the graduation address and presented her with an honorary degree at its commencement ceremony last June.

DePaul’s voice performance program enrolls approximately 70 students. Chosen students appear in two full-length productions presented annually by The DePaul Opera Theater, directed by Harry Silverstein. Graduates of the program have performed with The Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera, Berlin Opera, Zurich Opera and regional companies around the United States. Several students have won major competitions, including two winners of the Metropolitan Opera’s national competition.