Rising opera star, DPHS grad to perform at PAC tonight
CORNELIUS
The Deer Park High School Choral Department proudly welcomes home Deer Park High School graduate Jan Cornelius for a concert on Tuesday, Jan. 3. at 7 p.m. in the DPHS Performing Arts Center at DPHS-South Campus.
Cornelius, who is acclaimed for her “wonderfully attractive soprano with a solid core,” is quickly making a name for herself on the operatic scene. Most recently, she was reviewed in Opera News as having an “ample lyric soprano of fine quality and prodigious skill in dynamic variation and expressive nuance.”
She made successful debuts during the past season with distinguished companies such as Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Atlanta Opera, and Virginia Opera. Cornelius sang the roles of Mimi and Musetta in La Bohème, Fiordilidgi in Così fan tutte, Arabella in Strauss’ opera of the same name, Giorgetta in Puccini’s Il Tabarro, and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Countess Madeline (Strauss’ Capriccio) , Micaëla in Carmen among others. Other recent performances include the title role in the Donizetti’s Anna Bolena, Silvana in Respighi’s La Fiamma, Manon Lescaut in the second act of Puccini’s masterpiece, as well as Violetta in La Traviata with the Academy of Vocal Arts. As a Spectrum Resident Artist with Virginia Opera, she performed the roles of Frasquita in Carmen, and Nedda in I Pagliacci.
"We have tried to get Jan to come home to sing for our kids and for the city for several years," Executive Director of Fine Arts Barry Talley said. "We are so fortunate her schedule has worked out this year. I can’t wait for our students to hear someone from the school they attended who made it in the professional singing world. Jan will be joined in the concert by Benjamin LeClair, who is also a professional singer."
The concert is free to the public. Donations will be accepted to help offset costs for Cornelius' upcoming auditions in Europe. "This is an excellent opportunity for Deer Park to come and support one of its own cultural treasures," Talley continued. "I can’t think of a greater expression of pride for our city than to fill the PAC to hear Jan sing."
In the 2012-13 season, Cornelius will make her debut with Ft. Worth Opera as the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, Micaela in Carmen with Birmingham Opera, a return to Des Moines Metro Opera for a role debut as Tatyana in Eugene Ore., and Rosalinda with Knoxville Opera in the fall.
Cornelius attended Louisiana State University, received her masters at the University of Houston Moores School of Music and now studies with the world-renowned voice teacher Bill Schuman at the Academy of Vocal Arts.