Natalie Dessay

Among France's top sopranos, Natalie Dessay has remained a major force through several vocal changes. She began her career as a spectacular coloratura soprano, moved into bel canto and some dramatic roles after vocal surgery, and continued to make innovative recordings that touched on jazz and popular music after she retired from the stage. Dessay was born Nathalie Dessaix in Lyon, France, on April 19, 1965, but grew up in Saint-Médard-en-Jalles near Bordeaux. As a girl, she was a fan of actress Natalie Wood and switched to the English spelling of her name as an homage; she l...