Lyric soprano Ruth Ann Swenson attracted attention from the moment of her 1983 professional debut in San Francisco. The determination evident in her Despina in that production was a recurrent thread throughout her developing career, preparing her to both enjoy the rewards of celebrity and also accept its responsibilities. The blonde, very pretty young singer returned to San Francisco to sing a concentrated yet rewardingly diverse repertory. Such roles as Gilda, Pamina, Nannetta, Ines (in Meyerbeer's L'Africaine), and Dorinda in Handel's Orlando reflect a penchant for variety w...