Élise DesChamps
Praised for “dynamic elegance and charm”, and for displaying “an exceptionally rich Mezzo-Soprano voice”, French-Canadian Élise DesChamps has distinguished herself as an impressive singing actress in varied repertoire that includes the title roles in La Cenerentola, Carmen and Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe, as well as Flora and Annina in La Traviata, Meg Page in Falstaff, Cherubino in The Ghosts of Versailles, Lady Thiang in The King and I, Prince Orlovsky in Die Fledermaus, Olga in Eugene Onegin, Soeur Jeanne in Dialogue des Carmélites, Smeraldina in L’Amour des Trois Oranges, and Maddalena in Rigoletto.
Ms. DesChamps began this season with Opera Columbus in La Traviata and La Cenerentola. Additional engagements included a return to Cincinnati Opera as a member of their Young Artist Program and as Zinnia in Chabrier’s L’Etoile. Future engagements include a return to Opera Columbus, touring as the title role in Rossini’s La Cenerentola and a series of concerts with La Montee des Arts of St-Hilaire, Quebec.
Ms. DesChamps has appeared frequently as a featured soloist with Opera Columbus, Cincinnati Opera, Columbus Light Opera, Columbus State, Montreal Music Conservatory, Indiana University Opera Theater, Ohio Christian College, and The St-Joseph Cathedral.
Élise DesChamps has quickly garnered recognition as a builder of voices. Her young students have been seen frequently as featured soloists in opera and musical theater productions, have won numerous important competitions, and received scholarship from some of the finest institutions in the U.S.
Ms. DesChamps has been the recipient of numerous grants, scholarships and awards, including those of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the Robert Bourassa Foundation, the Charles-Émiles Gadbois Competition, the Académie Internationale d’Été De Nice and was invited by the Vermont Opera Theater to the Foliage Art Song Master Class with Dalton Baldwin.
Ms. DesChamps is originally from Montréal, Canada. The young singer performed graduate work at Indiana University, where she received a Master of Music in Voice with legendary Romanian Soprano Virginia Zeani. She completed her undergraduate studies at the Montréal Conservatory with degrees in Cello and Musicology.
“Élise DesChamps sparkles with vocal brilliance and radiant beauty.”
“…the warmth of her voice and the fragrance of her beauty lend themselves to her sprite-like believability.”
Jeff Gates, The Madison Press
“Strong contributions from Élise DesChamps (Cherubino)...were well received, as the opera itself.” Charles H. Parsons, Opera News
“...great poise and youthful dignity as the heir…Élise DesChamps brings similar qualities to the role of his mother…her singing voice was fittingly royal, and all the singing was rewarding throughout.”
Cynthia Wolfe, Bloomington Voice