Mezzo-Soprano Cynthia Jansen is steadily garnering critical praise for her performances in both the U.S. and Europe. Possessing a "rich, warm mezzo" (Los Angeles Times) noted for its "individual timbre and lively dramatic range" (Financial Times), she recently made an impressive debut with Munich's Bavarian State Opera in the title role of Arnaldo de Felice's Medusa (world premiere); the Neue Zürcher Zeitung hailed her performance as "unbelievably well sung" and described her voice as "wide-ranging, multi-faceted, with enormous tonal scale".    

Since joining the roster of the Bavarian State Opera in 2005, Ms. Jansen remains one of the company’s regular featured artists. In the past three seasons her performances in Munich have included Eduige in Rodelinda, Annina in Der Rosenkavalier, Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Clotilde in Norma opposite Edita Gruberova (a production recently released on Deutsche Grammophon DVD), the First Norn in Götterdämmerung, Mary in Der Fliegende Holländer, Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro, Berta in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and The Duchess in the 2007 world premiere of Unsuk Chin’s Alice in Wonderland, among many others.

In addition to her ongoing engagement in Munich, Ms. Jansen appeared in 2006-07 with the Orquestra Simfònica de Balears in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, as the alto soloist in Mahler's Symphony No. 2. She also returned to the U.S. to sing the role of W.A. Mozart in Letters, Riddles and Writs by noted film composer Michael Nyman as part of Long Beach Opera's production entitled No Mozart. In 2008-09 Ms. Jansen will make her Seattle Opera debut as the First Maid in Elektra, returning later in the season to cover multiple roles in Seattle Opera's production of The Ring. She will also debut with Opera Pacific singing the Page in Salome, and covering the role of Herodias.

Previous operatic appearances include Carmen with Mobile Opera and the New West Symphony, the title role in La Périchole and Juno in Semele with Long Beach Opera, Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream with England's Aldeburgh Festival, Nicklausse in Les Contes d’Hoffmann with Baltimore Opera, Fort Worth Opera and Tulsa Opera, Maddalena in Rigoletto with the San Francisco Opera Center and Opera Columbus, Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana with the Columbus Symphony, and the Page in Salome with Finland’s Savonlinna Festival.

During her tenure as a Los Angeles Opera Resident Artist, Ms. Jansen was featured as Tisbe in LA Cenerentola, Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro, Siébel in Faust, and the High Priestess in Aida.  Subsequent appearances with Los Angeles Opera have included Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Antonia's Mother in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, and Lily in The Grand Duchess. 

Recent concert engagements include Bernstein’s Symphony No. 1 “Jeremiah” with the Helsinki Philharmonic and Lisbon’s Gulbenkian Symphony Orchestra, excerpts from Carmen with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Handel’s Messiah and Dvorák’s Stabat Mater with the Pacific Symphony and Pacific Chorale, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Florida Philharmonic, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Angeles Chorale, and Verdi’s Requiem with the Modesto Symphony, Redlands Symphony, and Angeles Chorale.

A native of Southern California, Ms. Jansen earned her both Bachelor and Master of Music from the University of Southern California, and received additional training in San Francisco Opera's Merola Opera Program, England's Britten-Pears School, and as a member of Glimmerglass Opera's Young American Artist Program. In 2000 she was a national semi-finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and a finalist in the Loren L. Zachary Society National Competition.

Note: Biographical information is current as of the last Chorale concert date. Check on line for the latest updates!