Emily Toronto

Biography

Dr. Toronto, an Utah native, received both a Master of Music degree and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in voice performance from the University of Michigan. She has performed nationally with numerous artistic companies including Michigan Opera Theatre, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Toledo Opera, Michigan Opera Works, Ann Arbor Festival of Son, South Dakota Symphony and Sound of South Dakota. Emily is also a founding member and artistic co-director of Heartland Opera Troupe. In opera, her professional highlights include the role of Thisbe in La Cenerentola, Mother in The Consul, Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro and the Lakota/Norwegian Mother in the Heartland Opera premiere of the chamber opera The Trickster and the Troll. Her performance of Antonia’s Mother in a Michigan Opera Theatre production of Les Contes d’Hoffmann was described by Mark Stryker of the Detroit Free Press as “the night’s finest hour.” Emily is also active in bringing opera to young audiences and has performed in over 75 presentations of operas for children in schools throughout South Dakota, Ohio and Michigan.

Since joining the faculty at SDSU in 2004, Dr. Toronto has taught courses in German, French, Italian, Latin and English diction, vocal repertoire, vocal pedagogy and opera workshop. She enjoys teaching applied voice and her students have received numerous honors at state-wide and regional competitions. Dr. Toronto currently serves as the district governor for South Dakota for the National Association of Teachers of Singing.