Lea Woods Almanza shares her love of beautiful music from across the globe. Her cosmopolitan heritage affords her a unique acuity to diverse audiences and growing global repertoire. Lea’s lyric soprano voice — described as spotless, exquisite, and touching — illuminates the songs she sings and touches audiences in a way that allows them to feel the heart of the music she performs. Whether in English, Italian or Hawaiian, Lea enjoys mixing genres to find new and unique ways to resonate in music.
VOCAL JOURNEY:
Almanza developed a passion for performing since her first experience as Wendy in Peter Pan. As a young girl, it was formative for her growing love of music.
Although musical theatre was where she first began performing, her first professional singing performances began in the world of Opera where a seven year career landed her roles such as Musetta in La Boheme with the Augusta Opera, Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro with Opera Hong Kong, as well as Liu in Turandot with Hawaii Opera Theater. Other opera career highlights include the role of Micaela in Carmen with Opera Hong Kong, Shanghai Symphony, and the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in China; Valencienne in The Merry Widow with Fresno Grand Opera, Singapore Lyric Opera, and Opera Malaysia; and Zerlina in Chautauqua Opera’s Don Giovanni. Her earlier roles include Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro and Papagena in The Magic Flute, with Michigan Opera Theatre, Hawaii Opera Theater, and the Beijing Music Festival.
Other opportunities where Almanza lent her soprano voice have been with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra in Carmina Burana at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center, the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, and Rutter’s Gloria, and with the Maui Choral & Symphony at the Maui Cultural Center. Almanza has also performed as a soloist with Singers Beyond Borders, whose concerts took them to Shanghai, Singapore, Beijing, Manila, and Hong Kong, Xian and Chengdu.
BACKGROUND
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Lea attended Punahou School and later graduated from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, with a Bachelor of Science. She lived in Italy for three years, working with Maestri, honing her Italian language and continuing her vocal training. She made Manhattan, New York her professional base from 2001 until 2007.
She continued her musical theatre career at Diamond Head Theatre, the Broadway of the Pacific in Honolulu when she returned to Oahu to raise her family. Her roles included Magnolia in Showboat, Mrs. Banks in Mary Poppins, Guinevere in Camelot, Mother in Ragtime, Eileen Evergreen in Nice Work If You Can Get It and Irene Molloy in Hello Dolly.
While continuing to expand her diverse repertoire and explore many ways of sharing her love of music, Almanza worked with Grammy nominated Guitarist, Jeff Peterson on their three CDs entitled “Sing-A-Long with Lea & Jeff” vol. 1 & 2, as well as “Laule’a”.
In June of 2021 she released an eclectic EP entitled “Hope”, filled with her own compositions as well as original songs by acclaimed Danish songwriter Viktoria Hansen, and is excited about the collaboration possibilities with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra ~ Beginning on November 5th, 2022 as headliner for the opening show of the HSO Hapa Symphony Series.