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The American mezzo-soprano, Joelle Lachance, was drawn to music and singing from a young age. She performed in her first musical at the age of six and continued to cultivate her craft from there. She obtained her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education with a concentration in Music History and Voice from Nazareth College (2009-2013), graduating magna cum laude and with an award in Choral Conducting. She continued her education at Nazareth College, graduating with a Master of Science degree in Music Education with a concentration in Voice (2013-2014). Wanting to focus on performance, Joelle pursued a second masters degree, this time in Historical Performance from Boston University, graduating with distinction (2014-2016). Master-classes that she has participated in include programs with Susan Ashbaker, David Aronson, Julianna Gondek, and Laura Brooks Rice’s CoOPERAtive program (2017). She is now in pursuit of her penultimate degree in Vocal Performance and Literature from the world-renowned Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, as a student of Katherine Ciesinski. She was a winner of the 2012 Rising Stars Competition at Nazareth College; a finalist in the 2018 Barn Opera Vocal Competition; a semi-finalist in the 2019 Harold Haugh Light Opera Competition; Quarterfinalist at Metropolitan Opera National Council Competition in 2021; and a winner of the NATS Fingerlakes Regional Competition in 2022.
Joelle Lachance has performed a variety of roles including Phoebe in The Mock Marriage (Ohio Light Opera, 2022), Minnie Fay in Hello, Dolly! (Ohio Light Opera, 2022), Bellomy in The Fantasticks (Ohio Light Opera, 2022), Julie in The Ship’s Captain (The Musicians of Ma’alwick, 2021/2022), Mrs. Ott in Susannah (Buffalo Opera Unlimited with WLEN (PBS), 2021), Coralie in the North American premier of The Daring of Diane (Ohio Light Opera, 2021), Ernesto in The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Schmidt Opera Outreach Program with University of Kentucky, 2020), Hansel in Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel (New York Lyric Opera, Viva La Musica Vermont, Nazareth College 2013), Third Lady in W.A. Mozart's The Magic Flute (Barn Opera, 2019), Lucinda in Into the Woods (Ohio Light Opera, 2019), Flora James in Girl Crazy (Ohio Light Opera), Joyce Wheeler in Fifty Million Frenchmen (Ohio Light Opera, 2018), Clorinda in Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda (Cottage Industry Theater), First Spirit in The Magic Flute (The Glimmerglass Festival, 2015), Camus in King Arthur (Boston University), Oberto in George Frideric Handel's Alcina (NAPA Music Festival, 2014), the Seamstress’ Son in The Happy Prince (Rochester Lyric Opera), and Calisto in La Calisto (Nazareth College, 2012). She made her European debut as Dritte Dame in W.A. Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (Berlin Opera Academy, 2016).
Known for her engaging performances, Joelle Lachance's concert repertoire includes solos in G.F. Handel's Messiah (St. Thomas More Rochester 2022, the Eastman School of Music 2022, Voices of Cooperstown 2016), the Missa Luba (Rochester Oratorio Society with Sankofa Dance, 2014), Mallika in Delibes' ‘Flower Duet’ from Lakmé and Suzuki in Puccini’s ‘Flower Duet’ from Madama Butterfly for New York Lyric Opera’s Scene Program in Carnegie Hall (November 2019), and is a regularly featured soloist for the Guild of Glimmerglass’ concerts. She has sung various chamber works including Haydn’s Ariadne auf Naxos, Jacquet de la Guerre’s Semelé, and J.S. Bach’s Coffee Cantata (BWV 211). haer upcoming performances include Ravel’s Shéhérazade at the Eastman School of Music, the Page in Rigoletto with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (May), Mrs. Nolan in The Medium with Buffalo Opera Unlimited (June), and a Page in Charles Gounod's Roméo et Juliette with the Glimmerglass Festival (July/August).
In addition, Joelle Lachance has been Choral director at First Presbyterian Church of Avon, New York (September 2013-June 2014); Subsitute Teacher at Public Schools of Brookline, Massachusetts (September 2014-June 2016); Former Voice teacher at Music Maker Studios in Boston, Massachusetts (September 2014-June 2016); Substitute teacher at Cooperstown Central School District, New York (since November 2016). |
