Opera San José - Former Resident Artist Cynthia Clayton

ARTISTS

Cynthia Clayton,
Soprano
(1992 - 1996)

During the 2005 - 2006 season, CYNTHIA CLAYTON joined the voice faculty at the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston in Texas and made several major debuts with a number of companies to extraordinary success, including Dallas Opera and Lyric Opera of Kansas City as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni. Other recent engagements include the title role of Jenůfa with Utah Opera in winter 2005, the Verdi Requiem with the Cuesta Master Chorale, and the title role in Manon Lescaut with Taconic Opera of New York. Ms. Clayton returned to Opera San José in fall 2004 to perform at the inaugural galas for the opening of the 2004 - 2005 season in the California Theatre.

Upcoming engagements for Ms. Clayton include the title role in Madama Butterfly for Anchorage Opera, the title role in Susannah for Cedar Rapids Opera Theater in 2006, and soprano soloist in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Corpus Christi Symphony.

Roles performed during the 2002 - 2003 season included Magnolia in Jerome Kern's Showboat with Mendocino Music Festival and the title role in Carlisle Floyd's Susannah with Festival Opera during the summer of 2002. In October, Ms. Clayton was the featured soloist in the Villa Lobos Bachianas Brasilieras #5 with San José Chamber Orchestra followed by her debut performance as Mimì with Utah Opera in their production of La bohème in January of 2003. Ms. Clayton also made her debut performance with Dallas Opera as Donna Anna in their February 2003 production of Don Giovanni.

During the 1999 - 2000 season, Ms. Clayton returned to New York City Opera as Mimì and to San Diego Opera as Musetta, and she was seen in the title role of Massenet’s Manon with Arizona Opera. 2000 - 2001 engagements included her European debut as Violetta in Belgium, Penelope in Britten’s Gloriana for Central City Opera, Countess Almaviva with Orlando Opera and New York City Opera in their productions of Le nozze di Figaro, and a performance of Carlisle Floyd’s Cold Sassy Tree with San Diego Opera.

In 1998 - 1999, she performed both Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) and Mimì (La bohème) for Festival Opera, returned to Cleveland Opera as Micaëla (Carmen), and she made her debuts at Lincoln Center as Musetta (La bohème) and in the title role of Madama Butterfly with New York City Opera.

In 1997 - 1998, Ms. Clayton’s engagements included a return to New West Symphony to sing Madama Butterfly, Barber’s Knoxville, Summer of 1915 with Ventura Chamber Music Festival, and Brahm’s Requiem with Vallejo Symphony.

Ms. Clayton appeared with San Diego Opera in 1996 - 1997 in the role of Micaëla (Carmen), opposite tenor Richard Leech and conducted by Richard Bonynge. She also appeared as Marguérite in Cleveland Opera’s production of Faust, in the title role of Manon with Arizona Opera, with Walnut Creek Festival Opera as Nedda (Pagliacci), as Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) with South Valley Opera, in Barber’s Knoxville, Summer of 1915 at the Mendocino Music Festival, and as Mimì (La bohème) with Santa Barbara Grand Opera.

For more information, please visit Ms. Clayton's website: http://www.claytonvasquez.com/

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