Singing

, ,

One hell of a week!

, ,

September 2014

So much amazing news has come in this week! To start, I am beyond elated to be performing onstage with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in Bartok's chamber opera Bluebeard's Castle. The stunning set from the Seattle production is by Dale Chihuly! Read more about this amazing collaboration in The News, Business First, Artvoice and Buffalo Rising.

In equally amazing news, I've been selected to walk in Uptown Fashion Week in NYC, in the first-ever Plus Showcase for this high fashion, avant-garde show. Read this article in the NY Daily News about the high profile event! Check out my Press page for the latest video and image links.

In the meantime, I'm being flown out to NYC this weekend (during MBNYFW no less) for my fit model job - the designer is in from LA! And to wrap it up? A few smaller job offers including opera roles (more info soon), blogging, and another magazine cover...

, ,

Foreboding nuns, angry witches and other fun stuff in opera

, ,

June 2014

On November 21 and 22, I'm singing the lead role of Madame de Croissy (Contralto) in Opera Sacra's production ofDialogues des carmélites (in English). This kicks off their 40th Anniversary year; Carmelites was Opera Sacra's first production 40 years ago, so I'm proud to be a part of this great event -- one of my favorite composers no less! UPDATE: I'm no longer singing Friday 26th September for The Opera Foundation of Buffalo, Inc's Fall Spanish-themed concert. Please go and support this wonderful group!

And for my third Lecture during National Opera Week for OperaBuffs of WNY? I'm presenting on portrayals of witchcraft, magic and folk religions in opera; and singing arias from Ulrica, Dido's Sorceress, and Carmen reading the tarot cards. A good thing for the morning after Halloween... see you there, Wayward Sisters.

Singing through early 2015

March 2014

Some great new singing gigs have come in... stay tuned for more details as they surface. First I'll be joining Opera Sacra for the Alto solos in Caldara's late Baroque Stabat Mater on Good Friday. Then in late May, I'm performing again at the Opera Foundation of Buffalo's Annual Spring Gala. I'm delighted to lecture again during National Opera Week 2014 as part of the OperaBuffs of WNY's Lecture Series on November 1. Finally, I'm presenting a special lecture on The Seven Singing Sutherland Sisters at Forest Lawn's Sunday In The Cemetery Chapel Concert & Lecture Series; it will be during Women's History Month 2015. Naomi, one of the sisters, was a world-famous Bass singer.

, ,

Fall updates

, ,

October 2013

It's been a while since I updated the News section, but not for lack of exciting new information... modeling has taken up lots of my time time lately! Although I was able to combine singing and modeling in Venice, after our performance of Un Vespro Venexiano I met a photographer and squeezed off a photoshoot. Now, in addition to walking in many local shows in WNY, I'm very proud to be a part of the video-based Confidence is the Key Project, managed by Evolve and Skorch magazines, bringing together plus models and fashion insiders from around the world, sharing their stories of confidence. And I've been invited back by OperaBuffs of WNY to give a Lecture during National Opera Week on the pre-history of opera. Vocális Chamber Choir will embark on a professional tour of England in summer 2014, playing amazing venues in and around the capitol. I'm excited for another season with this fantastic ensemble in the WNY and Niagara region. In the meantime, I'm taking small solo gigs at services (including a professional position at St. Paul's Schola Cantorum), fundraisers and private events, which has been fun. And starting in late October, I'll be onstage with Diva By Diva at the award-winning O'Connell & Company. This cabaret style all-female performance celebrates its Sweet 16 this year in WNY's longest running show.

Venice and Schola and Divas, oh my!

May 2013

This September, I'm heading to Venice to perform (as Alto) Monteverdi Vespers 1640 with full Baroque consort under Philip Thorby again, in the Scuola di San Rocco. I've also joined the Schola Cantorum at St Paul's as a professional singer; we'll be doing great works from the 16th, 17th and 20th c British choral tradition during the services. Finally I've become one of the Divas at O'Connell & Company, joining the troupe Diva by Diva, an all-female performance in WNY's longest running show.

Met Opera Council; opera gigs

April 2013

Some exciting news from the local opera world: I've been appointed to the Advisory Committee for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Regional Auditions Buffalo/ Toronto! Our District is part of the Great Lakes Region and draws singers from all over The US and Canada. In other news, I will be reprising the opera recital A Musical Journey Through the Mediterranean for OperaBuffs on April 13th, and have also been invited by an opera foundation to portray Carmen at a private concert in early May.

2 Snarky Broads

February 2013

Get ready Buffalo - The Winking Women of Whimsy... (...or 2 Snarky Broads and a Dude) are coming! Due to a generous grant from the University of Wisconsin, Oberlin alumnae Mezzo Julie Cross, DMA ('99) and myself ('97) will share a selection of sarcastic, snarky and tongue-in-cheek solo songs & duets spanning 5 centuries of opera, art songs and jazz on Saturday 8 June. Featuring all sorts of keyboards from Robert Hull. We've also been invited with our trio, including superstar opera mezzo Katherine Ciesinski, to present a scholarly Lecture-Recital at the biennial Feminist Theory and Music Conference 12, July 31-August 4, in Clinton, NY. We're excited to share our research about low female voices, and I'll be demonstrating with a range of Mezzo, Tenor, Baritone and Bass arias. I talk a bit about the genesis of this concert series in my Buffalo Rising Sounds of Buffalo interview; listen to this extended radio interview about the eventwith Peter Hall at Classical 94.5 (WNED).

Radio interviews

October 2012

Tune into WNED the last week of the month, I'm featured in two radio interviews with Classical FM 94.5's Peter Hall, talking about National Opera Week in WNY, the opportunities for classical music in Buffalo, some info about low-voiced females, and my own career and opera recitals the first week in November. Listen to 94.5FM on the radio or check out both clips anytime here.

New ensembles

September 2012

I'm really pleased to announce that in addition to the amazing Vocalis Chamber Choir, I've also joined Harmonia Chamber Singers, and Vox Lumine. Harmonia is doing great collaborations with some of WNY's top ensembles and venues this coming year, and we'll be recording Victoria Requiem for CD release. Vox Lumine is a new emerging professional vocal ensemble for Western New York and the Canadian Niagara/ Toronto region; all the members are professional singers with music degrees. Check out the Events calendar for more info on all events with these great groups.

,

Movie filming and busiest week ever commences...

,

March 2012

This week alone -- I've been cast in the lead role in a short film called Cassandra's Cleaning, which will film around York all this week. In addition, I am submitting an abstract for an academic journal about the history of low female voices; I'm doing a magazine interview; lots of rehearsals & performance for a choral concert... and more great news to follow shortly!

Recording and Workshop next week

June 2011

I'm finally going into the studio to record a proper performance DVD of Emily Kalies' noitcelfeRReflection next week. At the world-premiere the audio and video both died halfway through; then we performed it an a academic conference so we couldn't film; then it was meant to be recorded with a brand-new film backing in Dublin, but I was unable at attend due to a health crises; and finally a snow storm prevented another chance. So the 5th time must be the charm! 

Also, I was just invited to sing as a Tenor in a workshop at the Uni Music Department next week on Alessandro Striggio's astounding Mass in 40 parts (1566) lead by Robert Hollingworth of I Fagiolini. I've had the great pleasure of working with Robert before as a singer and scholar (he advised my PhD dissertation, and actually started me on my path as a female Baritone). 

And in weirder news, I hit a low F# the other day! Yep, you read that right -- the one at the bottom of the bass stave.

New show!

April 2011

Just got some great news from the world of singing, I have been selected to perform in a fabulous early Baroque opera, again under the direction of Philip Thorby, in Italy and the UK! Emilio De'Cavalieri's 1600 masterwork Rappresentatione di Anima et di Corpo will be performed in Venice and in the Norfolk or Suffolk area in a semi-staged performance with period instruments.

,

The Clerkes of All Saints

,

November 2010

I have been asked to join a new choir founded in York called The Clerkes of All Saints, as a Tenor (of course!). I'm also starting to do a lot of subbing/ repping (singing as a ringer) locally, which I'm very much enjoying. But most exciting? I have been chosen as a Model and Presenter for the Evolve Magazine Launch party in London on December 18th! Evolve Magazine is the UK's top fashion and style magazine created for the fuller figured fabulous woman.