Dunn began her professional performing career in the early 1980s appearing in
operas with good regional companies in the United States. She made her professional debut in 1982 in the title role of
Verdi's
Aida with the
Peoria Civic Opera. After winning several major awards and competitions, Dunn's career began to take off. In 1985 she sang Sieglinde in
Die Walküre at
Carnegie Hall. In 1986, Dunn made her debut at
Avery Fisher Hall with
Zubin Mehta and the
New York Philharmonic as the soprano soloist in a production of
Verdi's
Requiem. That same year she made her European debut as Hélène in
Les vêpres siciliennes at the
Teatro Comunale di Bologna and her debut at
La Scala as Aida. In 1987, Dunn made her debut with
Cincinnati Opera as Desdemona in
Verdi's
Otello. Dunn reprised the role the following year in her debut with
Opera Australia. Dunn made several other debuts in 1988 including the role of Leonora in
Verdi's
Il trovatore with
San Diego Opera, Leonora in Verdi's
La forza del destino with
Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Elisabetta in Verdi's
Don Carlo with
Dallas Opera. Dunn also sang with
James Conlon and the
Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale at the 1988
Edinburgh International Festival. In 1989, Dunn made her debut with the
Vienna State Opera as Amelia in Verdi's
Un ballo in maschera and reprised the role later that year in her debut with the
Houston Grand Opera. Dunn also recorded Verdi's
Requiem with
Robert Shaw and the
Atlanta Symphony that year which went on to win a
Grammy Award. In 1990, Dunn made her debut with the
Metropolitan Opera as Leonora in
Verdi's
Il trovatore and her
Carnegie Hall debut with the
Opera Orchestra of New York as Elena in
Verdi's
I vespri siciliani. In 1991, Dunn made her
Cologne Opera debut as Amelia in
Verdi's
Simon Boccanegra. In 1992, Dunn made her debut at London's
Albert Hall with the
London Symphony Orchestra. Dunn continued to be a prominent figure on the opera stage until the mid-1990s when she decided to take a teaching position at
Duke University. Dunn has appeared with other notable companies such as the
San Francisco Opera,
Washington National Opera and
Pittsburgh Opera. Dunn has also performed with several notable orchestras including the
Orchestre de Paris, the
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the
American Symphony Orchestra, the
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, the
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the
Chicago Symphony, and the
Minnesota Orchestra among others. Dunn has performed at several notable music festivals including the
Tanglewood Festival, the
Cincinnati May Festival, the
Ravinia Festival,
Wolf Trap, the
Casals Festival, the
Festival Saint Denis and the
Northwest Chamber Music Festival among others. Dunn has worked with some of the world's best conductors, including
Sir Georg Solti,
Riccardo Chailly,
Claudio Abbado,
James Conlon,
Lorin Maazel,
Seiji Ozawa,
Edo de Waart,
Zubin Mehta and
Daniel Barenboim among others. Throughout her career, Dunn has performed as a solo recitalist and chamber musician singing at such places as
Avery Fisher Hall and
Lincoln Center among others. In 1994, Dunn was appointed to
Duke University's music department as a professor of the practice. Although she still performs professionally, she spends most of her time heading the university's vocal music program and directing its opera division. ==Opera roles==