Orlando Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota
NATIONAL HONORARY MEMBERS
CAROL VANESS
We were privileged to initiate the world famous opera star, Carol Vaness, on January 20, 1997. Born in San Diego, she has sung in the world's great opera houses - the Metropolitan, Covent Garden, Paris, San Francisco Opera, Deutsche Oper in Berlin - with the foremost conductors. She has also made many recordings. and made frequent television appearances.
JOSSIE PEREZ RODE
We initiated Jossie Perez on June 22, 2003. Jossie is a native of Puerto Rico, and moved to Orlando at age 15. She studied at New England Conservatory, then won the Regional and National Met Auditions. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Mercedes in "Carmen" at age 22. She sang 14 roles at the Met, including Cherubino and Siebel. Nine were broadcast world-wide. She has sung leading roles in Spain, France, Japan, and Chile, and all across the US.
Recent engagements:
CARMEN at the Teatro de Liceu in Barcelona - Sept. 30, Oct. 3, 7, 11, 15, & July 22, 25. 2011
CARMEN at Arizona Opera - Nov. 14 in Tucson, Nov. 20 in Phoenix
CHERUBINO in "Le Nozze di Figaro" at San Antonio Opera - Feb. 4, 5, 6, 2011
From a review of her Carmen with the Connecticut Opera in May, 2010:
"She was alluring, demanding, elusive, full of fire, yet pursued by fate, and all this without the usual twirling around and fluttering of fans one often sees in staged productions. Perez worked her powerful magic with her highly expressive voice and supple visage, with her total grasp of text and character, and with her abundant natural beauty. One did not need subtitles to know what Carmen was all about. Perez had the audience in her seductive grip throughout the evening. Brava!"
Jossie was married on Dec. 23, 2007, and makes her home in Orlando.
CAROL and JOSSIE gave a joint Recital at the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico on March 6, 2005.
FRIEND OF THE ARTS
Roger McMurrin
Donald Schmaus
Jossie Perez as Carmen in Puerto Rico