It has been a busy year for Jessica Newman, a senior dual degree student at the Eastman School of Music and the University of Rochester, majoring in vocal performance and English literature. A lyric mezzo soprano and zwischenfach, Jessica recently returned from a four-week excursion to Germany, where she attended the German language and opera program Musiktheater Bavaria, performing scenes from Die Zauberflöte (Dritte Dame) and Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor (Frau Reich). Last November Jessica performed in Philip Glass’s Hydrogen Jukebox (Mezzo Soprano) with the Eastman Opera Theatre (EOT), an avant-garde opera featuring the poetry of Allen Ginsberg. She has also been seen in the chorus of Ned Rorem’s Our Town and Handel’s Serse with EOT and has performed numerous opera scenes in Italy at the Italian language and opera program Si Parla, Si Canta. In April 2016 she appeared as the alto soloist in the Bach cantata Tönet, ihr Pauken! (BWV 214) at the Eastman School of Music. This upcoming January and February, Jessica will be performing in Jake Heggie’s new opera about the Holocaust, Out of Darkness (Zosha), where she will have the opportunity to work on the role with Mr. Heggie.
In addition to her performance achievements, Jessica is a dedicated and passionate academic student. She was elected to the University of Rochester’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa during her junior year. Jessica is also a selected member of the Eastman Academic Integrity Committee and has been appointed to the Dean’s List at both the Eastman School of Music and the University of Rochester every semester since her freshman year. She is an active representative on the Eastman Students' Association, serving as the Student Chair of Transportation and Safety & Security. Currently, she is writing a senior thesis in English literature as a selected member of the Honors English Program at the University of Rochester.
Jessica studies with acclaimed mezzo soprano Katherine Ciesinski at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.
