| |
|
|
|||
| In the world-premiere
of Josephine with UrbanArias, “... the afternoon belonged to Melissa Wimbish,
who was creating the role of Josephine Baker ... Beautifully prepared, vocally
stunning, and theatrically riveting, [she] effortlessly held the audience
in her hand throughout this one-woman show.” (Washington Post) She made her
Carnegie Hall solo recital debut after winning the NATS Artist Award National
Competition. Other career highlights include Bernstein’s MASS at The Kennedy
Center, Mysteries of the Macabre with Baltimore Symphony, Nimue in Shakespeare
Theatre Company’s Camelot, and the History Teacher in the world-premiere
of Paul’s Case for Beth Morrison Project’s Prototype Festival. Melissa’s work is relentless in variety, spanning classical, contemporary, and popular styles. Her groundbreaking, self-directed pandemic recital for the INVISION series is a showcase of her flexibility and adaptability. In the 2021-22 season, she made several role debuts including Pamina in The Magic Flute, set to new text by an all-Black creative team and cast. She debuted Jessica Meyer’s 20 Minutes of Action with Sandbox Percussion Ensemble, sang the soprano solo and chorus in a fully staged and memorized Brahms Requiem, and created the role of Stella-Rondo in the world-premiere of Why I Live at the P.O. at DC’s Keegan Theatre with UrbanArias. Notable solo performances for the 2022-23 season include The Ordering of Moses, St. John’s Passion, and the role of Eva Cassidy in Chuck & Eva, a new work by Natalie Hopkinson. This year in recital, Melissa will present works by H. Leslie Adams, Carson Cooman, Tom Cipullo, Duke Ellington, Lori Laitman, Gilda Lyons, Barbara Harbach, and Florence Price in various recitals with the NatPhil Chamber Series and PostClassical Ensemble. This summer, she will perform in the US-premiere of the chamber opera, Harriet at the Yellow Barn Chamber Music Festival. Proudly based in Baltimore, Melissa co-leads the critically-acclaimed pop duo, Outcalls. They released their third studio album, Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 in spring 2022 and mounted a woman-led production of their interdisciplinary stage show, Release the Gowns featuring a new script by playwright Jessica Garrett and music from the album. Learn more at melissawimbish.com and outcallsband.com. 3/23 |