Already as a young artiste, the Israeli mezzo-soprano, Rinat Shaham, captivated her audiences at home and abroad. She made her American debut in 1994 as Zorinda in "Don Giovanni" with the ´Opera Company of Philadelphia´, and repeated the role in Europe at the ´European Center for Opera and Vocal Art´ in Belgium. This was followed by a series of roles at the ´Curtis Opera Theter´ and other professional opera houses.

Rinat Shaham has taken on the title roles in numerous productions where she has received accolades for such performances as Elle in "La Voix Humaine" and Cherubino in "Le Nozze di Figaro" at the ´Vancouver Opera´. One of the high points of the 1997/1998 season was her concert appearance with the ´London Symphony Orchestra´ in "L´Enfant et les Sortiléges", under the direction of Andre Previn.

In 1998-1999 she opened the ´New York Chamber Symphony Concert´, made her first appearance with the ´Boston Symphony Orchestra´ singing the role of Kate Pinkerton in "Madame Butterfly" and toured Europe in "Dido and Aeneas".

In the years that followed, her appearances included Ravel's "L´Enfant et les Sortiléges", with the ´Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra´ conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, and her debut as soloist in Bernsteins "Jeremiah Symphony", under the direction of Leonard Slatkin.

Rinat Shaham, a graduate of the ´Curtis Institute of Music´, was awarded a fellowship by the ´America-Israel Cultural Foundation´ and won the first prize in the ´Mario Lanza Voice Competition´ in 1993. In addition, she was a finalist in the ´Concerto Soloist Competition´ in 1994 and the ´Opera Index Competition´ in 1995.

In TAKING SIDES Rinat Shaham plays the Jazz Singer.