SONIA GARIAEFF, a mezzo-soprano, received her Master’s in vocal performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2000, since when she has sung with West Bay Opera, Pocket Opera, Berkeley Opera, and Bayshore Lyric Opera.  Her roles include Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte, Nicklausse in Les contes d’Hoffmann, Siebel in Faust, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and the title roles in Handel’s Ariodante and Rossini’s La Cenerentola.  She recently participated in Portland Opera’s young artist program where she debuted as Antonia’s mother in Les contes d’Hoffmann.  She has appeared as the alto soloist in Rossini’s Petit Messe Solemnelle, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass and Handel’s Messiah which she sang at Davies Symphony Hall.  In 2000 she was a regional finalist in the Met competition and won the Conservatory’s concerto competition.  In 2001 she performed Schoenberg’s Cabaret Songs at the Olympic Music Festival in Washington State.  In May 2002 she was a finalist in the Loren Zachary Vocal Competition and was recently awarded the Grand Prize in the Carmel Music Society Competition.  She is a student of Pamela Fry.