The American mezzo soprano Joyce DiDonato has won deserved acclaim in the world’s great opera houses – in Rossini, Handel and brand new works – and she’s a passionate communicator. Growing up in Kansas she originally planned to become a music teacher. Even after committing to a singing career, the breaks only followed a whole heap of rejection. A very present, physical performer, the temperature always rises when she comes on stage. She tells us about art and activism, including her work in prisons and with refugees. Joyce’s journey has helped her think about why her work is valuable – why art matters. Joyce DiDonato was born in Kansas. A multi-Grammy Award winner and 2018 Olivier Award winner for Outstanding Achievement in Opera, the New Yorker proclaimed her ‘perhaps the most potent female singer of her generation.’ Acclaimed as both a performer and a fierce advocate for the arts, she has gained international prominence in operas by Handel and Mozart, and in the bel canto roles of Rossini and Donizetti. She has held residencies at Carnegie Hall and London’s Barbican Centre and appeared as guest soloist at the BBC’s Last Night of the Proms. The latest release in her award-winning discography is Eden, a multi-faceted initiative embracing a global tour, an album and a ground-breaking education programme all exploring our connection to nature.Find out more about the work of the RAD: https://bit.ly/3KcB5UBFollow the RAD on social media, and join the conversation with host David JaysInstagram @royalacademyofdanceFacebook @RoyalAcademyofDanceTwitter @RADheadquartersYouTube / royalacademydanceDavid Jays @mrdavidjaysSign up to our mailing list: https://bit.ly/3frWPh9RAD is an independent educational charity and does not receive regular government funding. Every penny we make goes back into the work we do. You can support us by either naming a seat as part of our Name A Seat Campaign: https://bit.ly/3fnxEwm or make a donation: https://bit.ly/3bxA6z5 Joyce DiDonato’s new album EDEN is released on 25 February and her international tour begins on 2 March, with performances at the Barbican Centre in London on 5 and 6 April.Learn more about Joyce DiDonato and The Walk: https://bit.ly/3MgaWWI Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.