Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick
Encyclopedia
Charity Sunshine Tillemann Dick is an American-born soprano. She has performed across the United States, Europe, and Asia. Some venues include The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC; Severance Hall in Cleveland, Ohio; Il Giardino Di Boboli in Florence, Italy; The National Symphony Hall in Budapest, Hungary; The Tel Aviv Opera House in Israel; and the American Embassy in Beijing, China.
Charity has collaborated shared the stage with Bruno Rigacci, Joella Jones, Marvin Hamlisch
, Bono
, Zoltán Kocsis
, Joan Dornemann, Eva Marton
, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
. Some of her operatic roles include Titania in A Mid Summer's Night Dream, Gilda in Rigoletto
, Violetta in La Traviata
, and Ophelia in Ophelia Forever. Charity has also performed for numerous presidents, prime ministers, members of Congress, and world dignitaries. Her performances have been broadcast around the world on the BBC, IRA, Bartok Radio, MTV, PBS and NPR.
After receiving a diagnosis of idiopathic Pulmonary Hypertension in 2004, Charity served as the national spokesperson for the Pulmonary Hypertension Association
. In December 2005, her testimony about Pulmonary Hypertension for the Committee on Energy and Commerce was entered into the permanent record .
In September 2009, Charity received a double lung transplant at the Cleveland Clinic. Just eight months later, she performed before the doctors, nurses, and support staff at the Clinic. Charity was also the opening speaker at TEDMED 2010 in San Diego, CA.
Charity was a Fulbright Fellow, Spelman Villa Fellow and member of USA Today's All Academic Team. She received a bachelor's degree with high honors from Regis University
and studied music at the Peabody Conservatory
at Johns Hopkins University and the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest.
Charity was born in Denver, CO. She is the fifth of eleven children. Charity is also the granddaughter of the late Congressman Tom Lantos
from her maternal line, and also the granddaughter of Nancy Dick
- Colorado's first female Lieutenant Governor - from her paternal line. In April 2008, Charity's father, Timber Dick, a successful inventor and businessman from Denver, died from injuries received in car accident.
Charity has collaborated shared the stage with Bruno Rigacci, Joella Jones, Marvin Hamlisch
Marvin Hamlisch
Marvin Frederick Hamlisch is an American composer. He is one of only thirteen people to have been awarded Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, and a Tony . He is also one of only two people to EGOT and also win a Pulitzer Prize...
, Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
, Zoltán Kocsis
Zoltán Kocsis
Zoltán Kocsis is a Hungarian pianist, conductor, and composer.Born in Budapest, he started his musical studies at the age of five and continued them at the Béla Bartók Conservatory in 1963, studying piano and composition...
, Joan Dornemann, Eva Marton
Éva Marton
Éva Marton is a Hungarian dramatic soprano, particularly known for her operatic portrayals of Puccini's Turandot and Tosca, and Wagnerian roles.- Vocal training and early years :...
, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
. Some of her operatic roles include Titania in A Mid Summer's Night Dream, Gilda in Rigoletto
Rigoletto
Rigoletto is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the play Le roi s'amuse by Victor Hugo. It was first performed at La Fenice in Venice on March 11, 1851...
, Violetta in La Traviata
La traviata
La traviata is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La dame aux Camélias , a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils. The title La traviata means literally The Fallen Woman, or perhaps more figuratively, The Woman...
, and Ophelia in Ophelia Forever. Charity has also performed for numerous presidents, prime ministers, members of Congress, and world dignitaries. Her performances have been broadcast around the world on the BBC, IRA, Bartok Radio, MTV, PBS and NPR.
After receiving a diagnosis of idiopathic Pulmonary Hypertension in 2004, Charity served as the national spokesperson for the Pulmonary Hypertension Association
Pulmonary Hypertension Association
The Pulmonary Hypertension Association is a 501 non-profit support, education, advocacy and awareness association for pulmonary hypertension...
. In December 2005, her testimony about Pulmonary Hypertension for the Committee on Energy and Commerce was entered into the permanent record .
In September 2009, Charity received a double lung transplant at the Cleveland Clinic. Just eight months later, she performed before the doctors, nurses, and support staff at the Clinic. Charity was also the opening speaker at TEDMED 2010 in San Diego, CA.
Charity was a Fulbright Fellow, Spelman Villa Fellow and member of USA Today's All Academic Team. She received a bachelor's degree with high honors from Regis University
Regis University
Regis University is a private, co-educational Roman Catholic, Jesuit university in the United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1877, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
and studied music at the Peabody Conservatory
Peabody Institute
The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University is a renowned conservatory and preparatory school located in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland at the corner of Charles and Monument Streets at Mount Vernon Place.-History:...
at Johns Hopkins University and the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest.
Charity was born in Denver, CO. She is the fifth of eleven children. Charity is also the granddaughter of the late Congressman Tom Lantos
Tom Lantos
Thomas Peter "Tom" Lantos was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from 1981 until his death, representing the northern two-thirds of San Mateo County and a portion of southwest San Francisco...
from her maternal line, and also the granddaughter of Nancy Dick
Nancy E. Dick
Nancy E. Dick was the 41st Lieutenant Governor of Colorado. She was a Democrat and served from 1979 to 1987 under Governor Richard Lamm. She was Colorado's first female lieutenant governor....
- Colorado's first female Lieutenant Governor - from her paternal line. In April 2008, Charity's father, Timber Dick, a successful inventor and businessman from Denver, died from injuries received in car accident.