Janara Kellerman Biography

H.M.S Pinafore Cast

Janara Kellerman (Little Buttercup)

The young Mezzo Soprano Janara Kellerman is quickly making a name for herself among opera lovers and critics often being referred to as "sultry"; "elegant", "compelling", and Opera News said she "displays a mezzo timbre velvety as the nap of a big, juicy peach".

Ms. Kellerman begins the 2009-2010 season with a concert in New Jersey where she will be singing excerpts from Bellini's Norma as Adalgisa. She was invited to sing in the World Premier of Robert Aldridge's Parables with the Topeka Symphony. She was also invited back for the 2010-2011 season to Italy/Lecce to sing Romeo in Bellini's I Capuleti e Montecchi.

Ms. Kellerman began the 2008-2009 season with a successful European solo concert tour singing the works of Handel, Vivaldi, Brahms,Wolf and Debussy. She made a role debut in concert singing Azucena with the Westfield Symphony in the PNC Performing Arts Center under the baton of Maestro David Wroe. In October, she sang the alto solo in the 9th of Beethoven at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City and returns to New York City Opera in their production of Antony and Cleopatra. Ms. Kellerman appeared as the solosist in Mahler's 2nd Symphony with Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and returned to New York City Opera in their Vox 2009 Showcase in the premieres of The Invisible Cities and A Bird in your Ear. She was also seen in roles of Fenena in Nabucco with Coro Lirico and as Gluck's Orfeo, and Rossini's Arsace of Semiramide under the baton of Maestro Francesco Ledda.

For the 2007-2008 season Ms. Kellerman returned to New York City Opera where she was invited to sing on the Fall Gala Concert as well as to cover the title role in Carmen. In January Ms. Kellerman stepped in last minute to sing Sharon Falconer in Elmer Gantry, a new work by Robert Aldridge. With Augusta Opera she sang Carmen in Le Tragedie de Carmen. She joined the Midland Symphony Orchestra singing Suzuki in a production of Madama Butterfly. She recently made a role debut as Dalilah in Philadelphia and in June she made her role debut singing Amneris in Aida with Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre where critics hailed her by saying "But the show really belonged to Janara Kellerman as the jealous, amorous Amneris. Her rich, velvety mezzo voice wrapped itself around every emotion, from anger to charm to pity. She clearly was the finest actor on stage as well, compelling in every scene."

Ms. Kellerman had a very exciting 2006-2007 season making her title role debut in Carmen with the Des Moines Metro Opera. Critics said "with her thick black hair, smoldering gaze and brazen swagger, Kellerman casts a spell more potent than any cloud of smoke. She deftly combines her character's dramatic sense of abandon with the score's demand for vocal control." Maddalena with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra. In San Antonio she showed off her comedic side with Ruth in Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance and she covered Malcolm in Rossini's, La donna del lago at New York City Opera.

In the 2005-2006 season Ms. Kellerman completed her first recording with the Michael O'Neal Singers in Atlanta as the alto soloist in Honegger's King David in which the Atlanta Journal said "all the soloist were very good, especially Janara Kellerman - a creamy, rich mezzo"

On the concert stage she has sung the alto solos in Honegger's King David, Handel's Messiah, Beethoven's Mass in C Minor, Bach's St. John's Passion, Rossini's Petite Messe Solenelle and Pergolesi's Stabat Mater.