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Priscila Bomfim

pianist

"...solid, with precise gestures and a respectful reading of the intentions of Puccini and Strauss. [...] The dense, modern, and spectacular orchestration of Richard Strauss found in conductor Priscila Bomfim an interpreter up to its challenges. Her musical direction was not only categorical and striking but also sensitive to the dynamic balance between the grandeur of the score and the need to preserve smaller voices [...] Under her baton, the Municipal Symphony Orchestra achieved beautiful sonorities and a precise, dense, and dramatically coherent reading of the Straussian score, whose technical and stylistic challenges are not trivial."

Double Bill: Le Villi, G. Puccini, and Friedenstag, R. Strauss

Theatro Municipal de São Paulo

Marco Antônio Seta, July 20, 2025

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BIO

Priscila Bomfim stands out in the musical world for her sensitivity and artistic versatility, whether working on cast preparation, conducting operas from the traditional repertoire or premieres of new works, or leading concerts of Brazilian popular music. She was the first woman to conduct an opera in the official season of the Theatro Municipal of Rio de Janeiro, and her career includes the musical direction and conducting of numerous operas, such as Un Ballo in Maschera by G. Verdi, Les Contes de Hoffmann by Offenbach, Orphée by Philip Glass, La Tragédie de Carmen by Bizet/Constant, Faust by Gounod, La Belle Hélène by J. Offenbach, Serse and Armida Abbandonata by Handel, Carmen by Bizet, El barberillo de lavapiés by Barbieri, Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart, and Gianni Schicchi by Puccini, among other lyrical concerts.

She recently conducted the operas Eugene Onegin (Tchaikovsky) and Cendrillon (Pauline Viardot), premiered four new Brazilian operas, performed the full version of Le Vin Herbé by Frank Martin and Pierrot Lunaire by Arnold Schoenberg, in addition to conducting concerts at the Theatro Municipal of São Paulo and the Theatro Municipal of Rio de Janeiro. She regularly performs with several orchestras in Brazil, such as the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra (OSB), Theatro São Pedro Orchestra (SP), Campinas Municipal Symphony Orchestra (SP), University of São Paulo Symphony Orchestra (OSUSP), Espírito Santo Symphony Orchestra (ES), Bahia Symphony Orchestra (OSBA), among others.

Priscila was born in Braga, Portugal. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Piano at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro with the highest honors ("Summa cum laude"), completed a second Bachelor's degree in Orchestral Conducting, and earned a Master's degree in Piano with a distinguished thesis on Sight Reading at the Piano.

Currently, she is Assistant Conductor at the Theatro Municipal of São Paulo and Music Director of two youth orchestras at IBME, one of which is formed exclusively by female students from Rio de Janeiro’s public school system: the Chiquinha Gonzaga Youth Symphony Orchestra.

REVIEWS

“[...] The first word goes to the conducting of Priscila Bomfim, so fluent, so refined, without losing her eloquent vehemence, capable of obsessive and powerful rhythms, as well as transparencies and silky subtleties, facing the most complex passages of the two compositions with a clarity born of her confidence.” Jorge Coli, Concerto Magazine “And how beautiful, balanced and expressive the São Paulo Municipal Symphony Orchestra sounded under the baton of Priscila Bomfim, the group’s assistant conductor, always precise, surrendering herself without losing herself to the charm and contrasts of Puccini’s writing, while also recreating, in Friedenstag, the somber, harsh, almost rough tone that Strauss’s music can assume.” João Luiz Sampaio, Concerto Magazine “Even though the conception and stage direction were excellent, the performance would not have stood without careful, versatile conducting, imbued with musicality. Leading the São Paulo Municipal Symphony Orchestra, Priscila Bomfim brought forth the Romanticism of Puccini’s work and the variety of colors in Strauss’s music, all while attentively supporting the singers.” Fabiana Crepaldi, Notas Musicais “Priscila Bomfim’s fine conducting in Le Villi was highly idiomatic and attentive to detail. [...] The balance between voices and instruments remained praiseworthy from beginning to end, which even allowed some of the supporting roles to shine in the second piece.” Márvio dos Anjos, O Globo “Conducted by Priscila Bomfim, the São Paulo Municipal Symphony Orchestra drew forth the Romanticism of Puccini and the palette of Strauss’s music.” Fabiana Crepaldi, Opera Magazine

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