Carol Vaness

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Carol Vaness (born July 27, 1952) is an American lyric soprano.

She was born in San Diego and launched her professional career in 1979 with the New York City Opera. Carol spent her young years singing in the First Presbyterian Church of Encino, California's choir.

She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1984 and has sung at many of the major opera houses of Europe, including Teatro alla Scala, the Vienna State Opera, Paris Opera, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. She was particularly known for her Mozart operatic roles, but she has performed in a wide range of operas, including the title role in Giacomo Puccini's Manon Lescaut with the Seattle Opera. She also was one of the great Toscas of her generation performing it opposite every major tenor of the day, including Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Richard Leech, Vincenzo La Scola, and Marcello Giordani.

She also teaches at Indiana University. Her hiring came as part of the school's "Commitment to Excellence" program, which also brought about the hirings of celebrities Jaime Laredo, Andre Watts and Joshua Bell. She as full professor of voice working with 10 students, and began teaching in the fall of 2006.