JAZMINE OLWALIA, MEZZO-SOPRANO
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- Pittsburgh Opera presents Haydn’s 'Armida' Jan. 25–Feb.2, 2025
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Jazmine Olwalia is a second-year Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist in 2023-24. Last season, her roles included Third Wood Sprite in Rusalka, Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, Ariodante in Ariodante, and Girl in Denis & Katya. This season, her roles include Priestess in Iphigénie en Tauride, Littler Zegner Sister in Proving Up, and Phoebe in The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson.
Jazmine made her Portland Opera debut as Sharonne Salaam in Anthony Davis’s The Central Park Five. She also joined Opera Theater of St. Louis as a Gerdine Young Artist singing Mercedes in Carmen and covering Miriam H. in the world premiere headed to West Edge Opera of Awakenings by Tobias Picker,
then as Miss Forcible in their new production of Coraline, based on the award-winning children’s novel. 2021 credits include Porgy and Bess at the Metropolitan Opera and a new work reading of Sunder with Annapolis Opera.
Third-prize winner of the Houston Gilbert and Sullivan Society Career Grant Competition, Jazmine was named a semi-finalist for the 2021 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. She returned to Wolf Trap Opera for her second year as a studio artist in 2021, performing in a double bill of Cendrillion/Savitri and a concert version of Sweeney Todd, where she covered the role of Mrs. Lovett. In her 2019-2020 season, Jazmine portrayed the title role in the Maryland Opera Studio’s Ariodante, as well as making a role debut with Bel Cantanti Opera as Giovanna in Rigoletto.
Jazmine was a Finalist in the 2020 Dallas Opera Guild Biennial Lone Star Vocal Competition, and in 2019 was awarded third place in the Pre-Professional Division of the George Shirley Vocal Competition, and recipient of the Hilda Harris Mezzo-Soprano prize. Recent roles include Iman/Xochitl in the world premiere of Hajar with the Maryland Opera Studio, and Ayah in The Secret Garden as well as Princess Peyai in Amazing Grace with Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre. Other credits include Tituba in The Crucible, Agafia Milhailovna in Anna Karenina, and Grace Ansley in Roman Fever with the Moores Opera Center. A participant in the National Music Festival’s 2019 Voice Apprentice Program, she performed scenes and arias from Così fan tutte and Carmen.
Jazmine is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s Opera Studio and received her BM degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Houston.
Ms. Olwalia’s Residency is generously sponsored by The Haley Family Fund and Susan Candace Hunt.
Jazmine Olwalia as Second Priestess in Iphigénie en Tauride (photo credit: David Bachman)
"[Jazmine Olwalia in Denis & Katya] sang with a warm and steady tone that flashed out brilliantly" -- onStage Pittsburgh (photo credit: David Bachman)
"As Ariodante, Jazmine Olwalia sang with virtuosity, agility and rich tone. Ariodante’s ‘Scherza infida’ was a heartfelt expression of grief that was as moving as it was beautiful." -- Seen & Heard International (photo credit: David Bachman)
Count Almaviva (Jarrett Ott) warns Cherubino (Jazmine Olwalia) (photo credit: David Bachman)
"Jazmine Olwalia, the delightful Cherubino of the cast ... made the lovesick page boy more realistic than is frequently the case, sang the part well and was a comedic delight." (photo credit: David Bachman)
Jazmine Olwalia as Third Wood Sprite in Rusalka (photo credit: David Bachman)
