Das Opernglas

             Ewa Płonka [pron. Ava Puonka] with a voice that captivates the stages and stage charisma that resonates across borders, Polish-American soprano Ewa Płonka has steadily emerged as one of the most compelling artists of her generation. Praised for her vocal richness, dramatic range, and keen musical insight, Płonka stands among the leading figures on today’s international operatic stage—her name often associated with vocal brilliance and expressive depth.

           Her musical journey began early with the discipline of the art of the keyboard. Płonka first earned academic honors in Piano Performance from The Poznań Academy of Music in her native Poland, as well as second master degrees from Oklahoma City University and a doctorate from The University of Utah, where she specialized in piano performance with a secondary focus in voice. Holding an Artist Diploma in Opera Studies from the prestigious The Juilliard School polished her dual mastery of voice and piano instrument which informs every phrase she shapes, adding rare interpretive depth to her performances.
 

        Though she first made her mark as a concert pianist—garnering prizes in international competitions,  performing solo recitals and with orchestras across Europe, Israel, and North America—Płonka’s destiny lay on the grand stages of opera. Her voice—luminous in the lower register, searing and unflinching in its upper reaches—quickly drew the attention of major opera houses around the globe. What followed has been a remarkable succession of triumphs in the world’s most demanding spinto and dramatic soprano roles. Her unique combination of musicality, intellect, and dramatic instinct quickly set her apart on the international stage. 

        In recent seasons, Płonka has captivated audiences in iconic portrayals, including Turandot in The Royal Opera House - 2025, Teatro Real Madrid - 2023 , Deutsche Oper Berlin - 2024, Seoul COEX Center - 2024, The Tokyo Bunka Kaikan-2024, Washington National Opera - 2024, Staatsoper Hamburg-2024, Teatro Massimo - 2024; Abigaille/Nabucco in  Arena di Verona Festival- 2022 (broadcasted), Teatro Real Madrid - 2022, Teatro Massimo - 2022, Semperoper Dresden - 2023, Deutsche Oper Berlin - 2025; Lady Macbeth/Macbeth in Opernhaus Zurich - 2023, Deutsche Oper am Rhein - 2021 and 2022, Washington National Opera - 2024; Tosca in The Dallas Opera-2023, Virginia Opera-2019, Opera Wrocławska-2022; Aida in Polish National Opera-2023, in Prague National Opera-2022 and 2023; Foreign Princess/Rusalka in Bayerische Staatsoper-2023; Venus/ Tannhäuser in The Royal Opera House-2023

        Her forthcoming engagements for the 2025–2026 season include her debut at Teatro alla Scala as Turandot, Abigaille in Bayerische Staatsoper, Don Carlo in Staatsoper Berlin, Tosca in  Staatsoper Hamburg, Aida in Paris National Opera, and Turandot at the Savonlinna Opera Festival.

       Before her celebrated transition to the soprano repertoire, Płonka earned early acclaim as a mezzo-soprano. Notable appearances included Azucena (Il Trovatore) at Oper Frankfurt and Giovanna Seymour (Anna Bolena) at Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe. These performances revealed an artist of profound depth, already foreshadowing the dramatic soprano she would become.

       Equally commanding on the concert stage, Płonka has appeared as soloist in monumental works such as Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, Rachmaninov’s The Bells, Delius’s A Mass for Life, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder, Szymanowski’s Stabat Mater, and gala performances at Carnegie Hall, The Lincoln Memorial, philharmonics and concert halls across Europe and USA and international festivals. Her artistry reveals itself not only in the grandeur of operas by Verdi and Puccini, but also in the leader by Strauss, Mahler, Wagner and by the Slavic composers.

       In the academic field Ms. Płonka held university teaching assistant positions both in Poland and in the USA, as piano and vocal coach.