Soprano Dr. Julianne Olson is an experienced performer, professor and researcher and is honored to join the voice faculty at Opera Viva!

Having performed in fifteen countries, four continents and among diverse populations, Julianne has developed an awareness of the unifying power of vocal arts in society. Julianne has performed with such companies as the Lyric Opera of Chicago (Agnieszka in the world premiere of The Property), Ravinia Festival (Concert am Rhein and in Tucson and Scottsdale, AZ and Palm Springs, CA) Princeton Festival (Lucy Brown in Three Penny Opera), Hungarian National Theater of Szeged and Pécs (The Crucible), Opera Roanoke (Musetta in La Boheme), DiCapo Opera (Mimi in La Boheme) Voice Afire Pocket Opera NYC (Madame Butterfly), Manhattan Symphonie (soloist on China tour), Lincoln Center (Puccini Gala), New York Opera Studio (Tatiana in Eugene Onegin), Peoria Symphony (Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte), Indiana University Opera Theater (Sung Ba in Tale of Lady Thị Kín), Triad Stage (Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd) and throughout South Korea, China, Africa and Indonesia. Julianne has twice been awarded from the Metropolitan Opera National Council and recently sang the title role of Madame Butterfly with Denver International Festival of Arts and Technology; this same show will go on tour in China next year. Upcoming engagements include a recital tour throughout the Pacific Northwest of Swedish art songs entitled “Nordic Notes.”

Currently, Dr. Olson trains classical and musical theater singers at Lee University. Dr. Olson’s former positions include: Voice and musical theater voice faculty at Elon University, Voice faculty at Averett University, Coordinator of Contemporary Voice at Universitas Pelitas Harapan, a university near Jakarta, Indonesia, Voice Instructor at Radford University, Teaching Artist at Chicago Opera Theater Opera for All, Teaching Artist at Midori and Friends NYC, Voice Teacher at Singer’s Forum NYC, Project Leader with Sing for Hope NYC and master class clinician throughout the Indonesian archipelago and at Kangnam University in Seoul, South Korea. Julianne is a member of the American Guild of Musical Artists, Society of Ethnomusicology and National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Dr. Olson’s primary research interests are Pedagogical in nature and center around two fundamental aspects of vocal health. First, the holistic health of the singing artist — anatomically, hormonally, mechanistically and psychologically. Second, a vocalist’s agency in contributing to a healthy society and the power of the amalgamated voice. Recently, Julianne presented elements of her research at the Society of Ethnomusicology Conference at Indiana University on a panel entitled, “Sounding Environmental Justice,” and at the University of Washington “Arts Activism” series.

Julianne holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts with a Cognate in Vocal Pedagogy from The University of North Carolina in Greensboro. Dr. Olson also holds degrees from Boston Conservatory, New Jersey City University, and Indiana University.