About Larisa
Larisa Bainton, soprano, has been an active performer in the Boston area for the past 3 years, where she studies with Dr. Ian Howell. In 2016 she completed the Dual Degree program at the University of Rochester and received a Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance from the Eastman School
of Music and a Bachelor of Arts in Brain and Cognitive Sciences. She is currently working towards her Masters in Vocal Pedagogy at the New England Conservatory. While at NEC, Larisa has performed in opera scenes from L’Elisir d’Amore, Ariodante, and Poppea. In addition, Larisa has performed with the Contemporary Improvisation and Community Partnership Program departments.
In the Boston area Larisa has performed with Opera 51, MassOpera (formerly MetroWest), New England Conservatory Opera Theater, and Promenade Opera Project. Globally she has performed with OperaWorks in California, in Hawaii with the Hawaii Performing Arts Center, and in Austria with the American International School of Music.
About Celeste
Celeste Pellegrino, Soprano, is a singer and educator originally from Rochester, NY. She earned her Bachelors degree from the Eastman School of Music in Vocal Performance and Music Education and is currently pursing a Masters degree in Vocal Pedagogy at the New
England Conservatory under the tutelage of Carole Haber.
Celeste has sung with MassOpera, Odyssey Opera, Eastman Opera Theater, New England Conservatory Opera Theater, and the Rochester Association for the Performing Arts.
A lover of both classroom and private voice teaching, Celeste has worked with all age and ability levels. She has taught at Brighton High School (Rochester, NY), Hochstein School of Music (Rochester, NY), Josiah Quincy Upper School (Boston, MA), The South Shore School of Theater (Quincy, MA) and is currently an instructor at the Amy Dancz School of Voice (Boston, MA).
Fun fact! Celeste’s first adventure in opera was as Gretel in the Kanack School of Music’s opera scenes production of Hansel and Gretel under the direction of Teryle Watson way back in 2011!
About
The Due Donne
[ 'd u e 'd ɔ n n e ]
two ladies
Celeste and Larisa met freshman year of undergrad at the Eastman School of Music. After graduating, the due donne (aka "two ladies" in Italian) spent a few years singing and teaching in the Boston area. Currently, they are pursuing Masters degrees in Vocal Pedagogy at the New England Conservatory.
The company was created to fill the need of budding young singers, while also bringing opera directly to communities in the Greater Boston area. The two hope that with Due Donne they may expand the reach of the talented singers in Boston. In the future Due Donne will expand to performing new works, children's operas, and the larger traditional works of the operatic repertoire.