Sarah Jane McMahon
Soprano
New England Finalist, 2004

Sarah Jane McMahon, soprano, is a native of Metairie, Louisiana, where she graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance from Loyola University, New Orleans, under the voice direction of Philip Frohnmayer. She is currently studying with Doris Yarick-Cross at the Yale University School of Music and will complete her Masters in Voice/Opera Performance in May 2004. Last year, Sarah Jane performed as Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro at the historic Shubert Theater in downtown New Haven, and was critically acclaimed by The New Haven Register for being "lovely and winning in both acting and musicality; her confidence and poise grew perceptibly throughout the performance, and by her featured aria, "Deh vieni, non tardar," she achieves a creamy nuance of tone." This year, she will sing Suor Genovieffa in Suor Angelica, Nella in Gianni Schicci, and Lucinde in the world premiere of Le Medecin Malgre Lui.

Sarah Jane spent last summer under the baton of Dr. Robert Larsen performing as Abigail in The Crucible with Des Moines Metro Opera, for which the Des Moines Register quoted, "The young and demure Sarah Jane McMahon sings the role of the manipulating yet tormented Abigail Williams with great finesse. Her luscious soprano is matched with superb acting skills." She made her Ohio Light opera debut at the age of 20, performing Carrie in Carousel and the title role in Sari, for which she made a premiere recording on Newport Classics. Opera News wrote, "The singers bring fine, if not stellar voices to their roles, with the striking exception of Sarah Jane McMahon, whose soprano has a bright, pleasing sheen that recalls the young Barbara Hendricks."

Some of Sarah Jane's other operatic performances include Adina in The Elixir of Love, Rosina in The Barber of Seville, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Doralice in Il Trionfo Dell'Onore, and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance. A dancer for over 15 years, she is also known for her musical theater performances of Josie Cohan in George M!, Jenny Lind in Barnum, Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, Flaemmchen in Grand Hotel, Maria in West Side Story, and Cassie in A Chorus Line.

She is the Recipient of the Blake Stern Scholarship for Academic and Vocal Excellence at Yale University, a Metropolitan Opera Regional Finalist - Gulf Coast Region, a Miami Grand Opera Finalist, and a Theodore Presser Scholar. She will spend this summer with Central City Opera singing the roles of Madeline/Isabelle in The Face on the Barroom Floor, and covering and singing a performance of Kathie in The Student Prince. In April of 2005, she will make her New Orleans Opera debut as Valencienne in The Merry Widow.

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