Biographies—Opera/Musical Theatre

Jaunelle Celaire

Soprano

Jaunelle is the Associate Professor of Voice at UAF and received her DMA from the University of Michigan in 2003. She then moved to Fairbanks in August 2003 where she also serves as the music director at Zion Lutheran Church. She stays busy with her voice studio at UAF along with conducting the University Chorus on campus. Other classes include voice methods and singer's diction. Jaunelle is a recitalist and recently debuted with the Anchorage Opera, singing the role of Micaela in Carmen.

Dominic Cossa

Baritone

The New Yorker magazine reported "Dominic Cossa possesses one of the most beautiful baritone voices anywhere." He has sung leading roles at the Metropolitan, San Francisco, and New York City Operas in a career that spanned over 40 years. He recorded complete operas with London and RCA records, with such notables as Luciano Pavarotti, Joan Sutherland, and Beverly Sills. He is currently professor of music at the University of Maryland.

JR Fralick

Tenor

JR Fralick is an active recitalist and guest soloist who gives presentations on Russian music. He recently participated in the exclusive Franz Schubert Institute in Vienna. A graduate of Friends University, Kansas State University and Ohio State University with Vocology Certification from Denver's National Center for Voice, he teaches at Baldwin-Wallace College.

JoAnn Kulesza

Opera Conductor

JoAnn Kulesza is Music Director of the Opera Department at the Peabody Conservatory of Music. JoAnn has also served as coach/accompanist at the Hochschule Mozarteum, the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists, and the Pittsburgh Opera Center. She has prepared choruses for the Washington National Opera and Wolf Trap Opera Companies, among others. As a conductor, Ms. Kulesza has several world premieres to her credit. She is much in demand as clinician and educator.

Louise McClelland

Opera Artistic Director

Louise McClelland, Professor Emerita at the University of Maryland, has appeared as soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Casals Festival in Puerto Rico, and Austrian Radio Orchestra. Awarded the Hugo Wolf Medallion in Vienna for her performance and teaching of Wolf's songs, she has given concerts internationally, including the Salzburg Mozarteum, Freiburg Festwochen, Carnegie Recital Hall, Library of Congress, and National Gallery of Art. She is a frequent clinician and master class teacher around the country.

Patrick O'Donnell

Opera Pianist

Patrick O'Donnell received his D.M.A. from the University of Michigan. He is currently a member of the piano and voice faculties at the Levine School of Music in Washington, DC. O'Donnell's performances as a recitalist include the White House and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He's also been on the music staff for touring programs for Western Opera Theater and others.

Cindy Oxberry

Opera Stage Director

Cindy Oxberry is multi-talented in being a stage director, arts administrator, producer, teacher and performer, having performed on opera stages in the U.S. as well as Europe. One of her proudest moments was when she was invited by Placido Domingo to travel to Mexico City where she served as the stage director to celebrate Mr. Domingo's 40th anniversary in the international world of opera.

Russell Ryan

Opera Pianist

A graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory, Russell Ryan also attended master classes at the Juilliard School and at the Vienna Musikhochschule, where he graduated with honors. He has been on the staff of the vocal department of the Vienna Musikhochschule since 1985. He has appeared throughout the world in numerous Festivals, and radio and TV productions.