The Cathedral Women were entertained at their December general meeting and luncheon by soprano Caprice Corona. Hailed as a "riveting tour-de-force," the Mexican-American soprano, a native of Sacramento, is rapidly establishing herself as a young artist who is at home on both the operatic and concert stage. She has portrayed roles such as Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, Alice Ford in "Falstaff," Queen Elizabeth in "Gloriana," Helena in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and Magda Sorel in "The Consul" with companies such as The Santa Fe Opera, Central City Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Amarillo Opera and Bronx Opera.

Ms. Corona is also an avid concert artist a well as an advocate of contemporary American music. She recently made her Carnegie Hall recital debut at Weill Hall as the winner of the 2003 International Opera Singers Competition in a program of all 20 th-and 21 st-century repertoire. She has appeared at the Marlboro Music Festival, the Universitt Mozarteum Salzburg, the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme at the Aldeburgh Festival, the Steans Institute for Singers at Ravinia and at the Tanglewood Music Center. This talented young musician has already won several awards, including first-place winner of the 2003 Center for Contemporary Opera International Opera Singers Competition.

In her program for the Cathedral Women, Ms. Corona chose a wide range of music, including Christmas carols, selections from "Hermit Songs" by Samuel Barber, an aria from Mozart's "La Nozze di Figaro" and a number from Jerome Kern's "Showboat" Ms Corona was accompanied by Robert Ludwig, director of Vocal Music and Theory at the Garden City High School and formerly organist and director of music at the Cathedral of the Incarnation.