Photo: Corey Moore

Three-time district winner of the New York Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Soprano Chabrelle Williams is a dynamic presence on the stage and an accomplished teaching artist. Most recently, Chabrelle performed the role of Claudette Colvin in a new opera by Jasmine Barnes and Deborah Mouton with the American Lyric Theater. Currently, she is teaching opera to Philly’s finest 4th Graders for Opera Philadelphia. Looking to the Fall, Chabrelle is excited to make several debuts one of which includes the New Orleans Opera and their production of Jeanine Tesori’s Blue.

Chabrelle’s journey in the world of opera has brought her to several stages both in America and abroad. This season, she made several debuts: her Boston Lyric Opera debut as Milica in their film Svadba by Ana Sokolovic and directed by Shura Baryshnikov, her Opera in the Heights debut as Leonora in their production of Il Trovatore and most recently she made her Lincoln Center Theater Debut co-creating the leading role of Esther in the world premiere of the opera Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage and Ricky Ian Gordon directed by Bartlett Sher.

Throughout her journey, Chabrelle has not only premiered several works, but also been the pioneer for a couple training programs. She started the Artist Diploma program at Rice University and was the first to graduate of its program. Chabrelle also co-created the Holland Community Opera Fellowship at Opera Omaha where she used her experience as an artist and entrepreneur to creatively engage with various youth and adult organizations from diverse backgrounds.

In addition to opera, Chabrelle also enjoys the more intimate experience of performing oratorio and art song. Recently, she world premiered an orchestrated version of Songs of the Seasons by Margaret Bonds arr. Edward Hart with the Charleston Symphony. Before that, she made her Carnegie Hall debut singing Nathaniel Dett’s oratorio The Ordering of Moses with her alma mater Oberlin Conservatory of Music. She looks forward to making another debut this season with the Louisiana Philharmonic singing these very same songs! Some other highlights in her concert repertoire include: Might Call You Art by Jasmine Barnes, Welcome to the Broken Hearts Club by Jessica Meyer, and the soprano soloist in Verdi’s Requiem.