In Ernani: "Elin Carlson as Elvira rose to the challenge, displaying a bright, appealingly silvery tone and the technique to negotiate Verdi's ornate vocal lines cleanly and precisely." San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, CA In Rigoletto: "Walking away with the hearts of the audience was soprano Elin Carlson, who was absolutely stunning in her portrayal of the innocent Gilda, Rigoletto's chaste daughter. Carlson grabs the audience's attention right away with her pure, sweet voice and coquettish charm. In Act I's "Caro Nome," her unwavering control adds immeasurably to Verdi's melody. Even while singing Verdi's stratospheric coloratura passages, she is able to control the dynamic, never screaming, even when she's well above high C. She managed a pure pianissimo at the end of the aria, sustaining a quietly controlled high B. Her ability in bringing out Gilda's charms were strong. Many sopranos present a one-dimensional performance. Carlson has evolved far beyond that, making the audience care about Gilda." Tracy Press, Tracy, CA "[Rigoletto's] precious Gilda is Elin Carlson, a tall, slender and full-voiced soprano who soars through coloratura flourishes with assurance and apparent ease." Modesto Bee, Modesto, CA "As Gilda, Elin Carlson has the perfect youthful lyric voice for this role. Her "Caro nome" aria combined brilliance with apparent ease of execution and real expressiveness." The Record, Stockton, CA In The Abduction from the Seraglio: "Elin Carlson's Constanza is the chief delight in the ensemble. She plays the part with a lovely, high-minded grace, and she sings with a pure, fluid voice well-suited to the music. Her Act II "Traurigkeit" aria, sung with meditative sorrow, is gorgeous." Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Bay Area In Lucia di Lammermoor: "Elin Carlson has a pure, well-centered tone and a vocal style free of mannerisms. Her coloratura technique is clean and effortless. Her "Mad Scene" proved both vocally and dramatically impressive, clearly demonstrating that though she'd lost her wits, her vocal control remained intact." The Record, Stockton, CA In recital: "Elin Carlson . . . was fantastic. She walked onto the stage casually, and, without any preliminaries, started right into one of the most difficult coloratura arias in the world, from Gounod's Romeo and Juliet. She also sang Puccini and Bernstein excellently." Mac/Eddy Today (reprinted from the American Hungarian Journal) "Elin Carlson's voice features easy presentation, soaring coloratura, and softly emphasized low registers. (Her recital was) an evening of melodic delight." Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA ". . . statuesque . . . opulent soprano, pliable and expressive" Opera Guide, L.A. In a gala concert: "Especially fascinating . . . convincingly conveyed every feeling" Tirolean Daily News, Innsbruck, Austria In Mozart's Requiem: "(Elin Carlson's performance was) distinguished . . . by clarity and poise" L.A. Time Ms Carlson is excited to present this collection of arias and songs - her debut solo recording - as a representation of her eclectic talent. Elin Carlson returned to her native California in 1993 after living five years in Europe, where she performed opera and musical theater in Bielefeld, Weikersheim, Vienna, Innsbruck, and a year starring in Cats in Hamburg. She has also been recently heard to critical acclaim in the roles of Violetta in La Traviata, Elvira in Ernani, Gilda in Rigoletto, Constanza in Yanked From the Harem (The Abduction from the Seraglio), Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, Amalia in I Masnadieri, Musetta in La Bohème, and Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni. More details on her opera career are available in her full opera bio. A versatile performer, she has appeared regularly in Southern California as a soloist with the L.A. Master Chorale, I Cantori, the LA Mozart Orchestra, Zephyr, OperaWorks, the LA Jazz Choir, and at various churches and temples. She is a founding member of the a cappella jazz group, Sixth Wave, which won the 2001 National Harmony Sweepstakes Championship. Ms. Carlson spent a month (October 1996) in Japan as a soloist with the Roger Wagner Chorale. As an oratorio soloist, Ms. Carlson's performances include Handel's Messiah, Bach's B Minor Mass, Vivaldi's Gloria, and Rossini's Stabat Mater. She has extensive experience performing choral and oratorio literature, from the earliest composed works on the North American continent to works of current composers such as Morton Lauridsen, Ed Cansino, Paul Gibson, and John Biggs. Elin has sung on several film and TV scores, including Mad Song (solo), A.I., Jurassic Park III, John Q., Family Man, Dracula 2000, 102 Dalmatians, Space Cowboys, Galaxy Quest, Dinosaur, Titan A.E., The Astronaut's Wife, Godzilla, Wild Wild West, Armageddon, Mulan, Pleasantville, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Blade, Men in Black, Twister, Independence Day, Quest for Camelot, Batman and Robin, Dudley Doright, Sixth Sense, Alien 4: Resurrection, Amistad, and Anastasia. Ms. Carlson has regularly collaborated as a soloist with the composer Danny Elfman on such films as Mars Attacks! and Flubber, as well as for the main title of HBO's "Perversions of Science" and a commercial for Lincoln-Mercury. She recently recorded a song with Sting for an upcoming release. She can also be heard (but not seen) as one of the opera divas in Jane Austen's Mafia and will be seen and heard in a bit part in The 4th Tenor with Rodney Dangerfield. Ms. Carlson received her Bachelor of Music Degree in theory and composition at the University of Arizona, Tucson, and is a published composer. Her marimba concerto and her song cycle for voice and marimba have been performed in Arizona and New York, and her vocal arrangements have been performed by various groups in Los Angeles.