In 1982, she graduated from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre (Prof. Zenonas Paulauskas class). After graduation, she studied with teacher of vocal performance Joana Kepenienė. In 1985, she played her debut role of Tatyana in Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre. Since then she sings all the major soprano roles, particularly in the repertoire of a dramatic soprano.
Beside her career as an opera singer, Stonytė often sings soprano parts in oratorios and masses (around 30 works ranging from Johann Sebastian Bach to Benjamin Britten) and in chamber music pieces (A Woman's Love and Life by Robert Schumann, Rückert-Lieder by Gustav Mahler, and others). Stonytė participated in numerous tours of the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, including in Italy, Finland (Savonlinna Opera Festival), Poland (Wratislavia Cantans), Germany, the Netherlands (Holland Festival), England. She has worked with the Latvian National Opera, Lithuanian Opera Company of Chicago, Estonia Theatre. The soloist has performed throughout Europe as well as in the United States and Japan.
Since 1992, Stonytė teaches vocal performance at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. In 2010, she became a professor and is currently the chair of the Vocal Performance Department at the Academy. She has been a jury member of many national and international vocal competitions.
Stonytė is married to a Lithuanian pianist Jurgis Karnavičius.
Opera roles
Tatyana in Eugene Onegin by Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Violetta in La traviata by Giuseppe Verdi
Lady Macbeth in Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi
Abigaile in Nabucco by Giuseppe Verdi
Leonora in Il trovatore by Giuseppe Verdi
Aida in Aida by Giuseppe Verdi
Ramunė in Gražina by Jurgis Karnavičius
Marguerite in Faust by Charles Gounod
Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Fanny in La cambiale di matrimonio by Gioachino Rossini
Elisabeth in Tannhäuser by Richard Wagner
Marcellina in Fidelio by Ludwig van Beethoven
Agathe in Der Freischütz by Carl Maria von Weber
Tosca in Tosca by Giacomo Puccini
Antonia in The Tales of Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach
Sister Angelica in Suor Angelica by Giacomo Puccini
Liza in The Queen of Spades by Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Senta The Flying Dutchman by Richard Wagner
Amelia in Un ballo in maschera by Giuseppe Verdi
Liu in Turandot by Giacomo Puccini
Leonora in La forza del destino by Giuseppe Verdi
Salome in Salome by Richard Strauss
Countess Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Larina in Eugene Onegin by Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Desdemona in Otello by Giuseppe Verdi
Elvira in Ernani by Giuseppe Verdi
Prizes and awards
1984: won the International Competition for Singers in Riga
1991: won second prize at the International Marian Anderson Vocal Arts Competition in Maryland (the first prize was not awarded)
1996: won Christopher Prize of the Lithuanian Theatre Union for the role of Lady Macbeth
1999: won Kipras Prize of the Society of Lithuanian Opera Friends for the Singer of the Year
2000: awarded Knight's Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas
2003: awarded special prize by the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture for roles of Amelia in Un ballo in maschera and Zerlina in Don Giovanni
2004: awarded 4th class Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
2004: won the Lithuanian National Prize
2005: won Opera Beacon Award of the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre for the Best Female Soloist of the Year for her roles of Leonora in La forza del destino and Senta in The Flying Dutchman
2011: won Golden Cross of the Stage Award of the Lithuanian Theatre Union for the role of Countess Rosina Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro
2011: won Opera Beacon Award of the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre for the Best Female Soloist of the Year for her role of Desdemona in Otello directed by Eimuntas Nekrošius
2016: was bestowed the honorary Golden Cross of the Stage Award of the Lithuanian Theatre Union for Lifetime Achievements to Lithuanian theatre.
