- Olivia Ward
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Olivia Ward Born Olivia Ward
Pascagoula, MississippiNationality American Occupation Opera singer, manager at a plastic surgery office Known for Opera singer, The Biggest Loser Winner Olivia Ward (born 23 October 1975) is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer and the winner of season 11 of The Biggest Loser,[1][2][3][4] which was the fourth season of couples on the TV reality show. Olivia competed on the purple team, alongside her sister, Hannah, in which they both managed to go to the final two together. She also works as a manager at a plastic surgery office.[3]
She was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Her family subsequently moved to Houston, Texas, where she attended Langham Creek High School though her junior year. She spent her senior year at and graduated from Baker High School, Mobile, Alabama in 1994. Ward then earned a degree in vocal performance from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 1998. She continued her education, earning a master's degree in voice/opera in 2002 from the New England Conservatory of Music.[1] She currently resides in New York City with her husband Ben, whom she married soon after graduating from Alabama.[5]
Ward's operatic work includes appearances with Ashlawn Highlands Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Las Vegas Opera, Mobile Opera, Nashville Opera, Nevada Opera, Music City Community Chorus’s Operalooza! and Music City Community Chorus—both in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Nashville, Virginia, and Chattanooga symphony orchestras.[6] By 2007 she had begun attracting regional operatic and orchestral attention.[1]
Ward's motivation for being on The Biggest Loser was the fact that her weight, which had climbed to over 261 pounds, combined with a diagnosis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, meant she would likely never have children if she didn't lose a significant amount of weight.[7] She felt her obesity was a reason she had not received many opera singing roles.[2] Her teammate was her sister Hannah Curlee,[3] who is three years younger than her. Ward won the Biggest Loser Season 11 on 24 May 2011 and Hannah placed second.[4] She is the eldest of four siblings.[5]
See also
- Elmer Gantry (opera) - Ward plays Mrs. Baines
Notes
- ^ a b c "Olivia Ward". Music City Community Chorus. http://www.musiccitycommunitychorus.org/soloistsbios.htm. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
- ^ a b "About The Biggest Loser". WHO TV. http://www.whotv.com/shows/nbc/thebiggestloser/. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
- ^ a b c Huff, Richrd (14 December 2010). "'The Biggest Loser Couples' returns with Jillian Michaels, two new trainers and an opera singer". New York Daily News. http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-12-14/entertainment/27084226_1_trainers-contestants-long-branch. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
- ^ a b "‘Biggest Loser’ Exclusive — Winner Olivia Ward… Half My Weight!". OK Magazine. 25 May 2011. http://www.okmagazine.com/2011/05/cover-story-biggest-loser-exclusive-%E2%80%94-winner-olivia-ward-half-my-weight/. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
- ^ a b "Olivia Ward". Buddy TV. http://www.buddytv.com/info/olivia-ward-info.aspx. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
- ^ "Four Guest Soloists Set For Music City Community Chorus Performance". Church Report online. 27 September 2010. http://www.thecronline.com/four-guest-soloists-set-for-music-city-community-chorus-performance/. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
- ^ "The Biggest Loser 2011: Olivia Ward". TV Grapevine. http://www.tvgrapevine.com/index.php/nbc/260-biggest-loser-2011-contestant/10004-the-biggest-loser-2011-olivia-ward. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
External links
Categories:- American female singers
- American opera singers
- American mezzo-sopranos
- People from Houston, Texas
- People from Mobile, Alabama
- People from Pascagoula, Mississippi
- People from New York City
- 1975 births
- Living people
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