During her varied almost 30-year career, dramatic soprano Jeanne-Michèle Charbonnet has sung repertoire ranging from the Italian spinto and dramatic heroines, through the Russian and French repertoire, all the Wagner heroines, German early 20th century repertoire, and contemporary music. She is now singing Zwischenfach and dramatic mezzo roles, as well.

Currently Professor of Voice at the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University, Jeanne-Michèle now shares her passion in the voice studio. She participates as a Master Teacher at Music Academy International in Trento, Italy and The Indemini Festival, as well as maintaining a private studio in Berlin and presenting Masterclasses around the world.

Jeanne-Michèle has appeared on the major stages of the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, Opéra National de Paris, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Teatro Real de Madrid, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Oper Frankfurt, La Fenice, Teatro Communale di Firenze, Teatro San Carlo, Teatro Municipale de Santiago, Opéra National du Rhin, Grand Théâtre de Génève, La Monnaie, Dutch National Opera, and San Francisco Opera. Her favorite roles include Isolde (Geneva, Dallas Opera, Santiago, Madrid), Elektra (London Symphony Orchestra with Gergiev, Edinburgh festival, Berlin, Santiago, Marseille, Warsaw), and Judith in Bluebeard’s Castle (Paris Opera with Conlon, Paris Opera on tour in Japan, Angers-Nantes, BBC Proms).

Her recordings include Elektra with the LSO and Valery Gergiev conducting, Tristan and Isolde (DVD) from Geneva with Armin Jordan conducting, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (DVD) from the Maggio Musicale di Firenze with James Conlon conducting, Ariane et Barbe-Bleue (Dukas) (DVD) from Barcelona with Stéphane Deneve conducting, Judith (Bluebeard’s Castle) at the BBC Proms with Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Erwartung with the WDR and Saraste conducting, and Goneril in Lear (Reimann) with Oper Frankfurt and Sebastian Weigle conducting.

Jeanne-Michèle’s recent roles have included Herodias in Salome at Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Royal Theater of Luxembourg, The Mother in Il Prigioniero at the Liceu, and Madame Larina in Eugene Onegin at Dallas Opera. Currently she is singing the role of Public Opinion in Orpheus in the Underworld at New Orleans Opera and will sing her first Widow Begbick in The Rise and Fall of Mahagonny in Hamburg at the Elbphilharmonie.

Personally speaking, I have given my life and my heart to the art form of opera and classical vocal music. I believe that through art we change and shape the world, and connect to each other across things that can sometimes be seen as divides. I love sharing the information shared with me by many masters and the lessons I have learned from a lifetime on the stage with singers and music lovers around the world. It is an honor to move into the roles of mentor and teacher.