"... and with the ease of a Nightingale, Julia Walsh sung her highest notes..."
Hailing from Temple, PA, the young coloratura Soprano Julia Katherine Walsh has garnered critical acclaim in opera, concert and recital performances. She is best known for her interpretations of the works of Mozart, Strauss and 20th Century American composers, though she is broadening her repertoire to include popular Bel Canto roles such as Gilda, Adina, Norina, Amina, Lucia, Donna Anna and Violetta. Her incisive characterizations, combined with a brilliant and agile instrument, allow Julia to deliver performances which delight both audiences and critics alike.
On the Opera stage she has performed the roles of Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Rosine in Der Barbier von Sevilla, Dido in Dido and Aeneas, Papagena in The Magic Flute, Oscar in Un Ballo in Maschera, Just Jeanette in the New York Premiere of Too Many Sopranos, Diana in Orpheus in the Underworld, Ines in Les Bavards, Najade in Ariadne auf Naxos and Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro. Julia has also performed in scenes, singing Gilda in Rigoletto, Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos, Königin der Nacht in Die Zauberflöte, Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier, Adina in L'Elisir d'Amore, Madamoiselle Silberklang in Der Schauspieldirektor, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Dorine in Tartuffe and Sandman/Dewfairy in Hänsel and Gretel.
On the Concert stage Julia has been a soloist with the Hunter College Choir and Symphony as Soloist in Haydn's Paukenmesse, with The Reading Choral Society and Symphony as Soloist in Faure's Requiem and Mozart's Vesperae solennes de confessore, and as singer of the National Anthem at Radio City Music Hall for Hunter College's Spring 2008 Graduation Ceremony.
In July of 2012, Julia performed on an outdoor stage with the Opera Schloss Laubach as Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail at the Kloster Arnsburg accompanied by the Johann Strauss Orchestra Frankfurt. In June she returned to the International Vocal Arts Institute in Blacksburg, Virginia where she performed in concert, the Duet with the Duke (sung by Mario Chang) from the First Act of Rigoletto, the Quartet from the Fourth Act of Rigoletto (sung with Gina Perregrino, Mario Chang and Gustavo Feulien), the Queen of the Night's Vengeance Aria from Die Zauberflöte, "Getting to Know You" from The King and I, and "With a Song in My Heart" from Spring is Here in concert. Julia also performed in a Masterclass with Joan Dornemann, a small group class with Diana Soviero, and was able to coach the Rigoletto scenes with Joan Dornemann, Sherrill Milnes and Carlos Conde.
In August of 2011, Julia sung Rosine in Der Barbier von Sevilla with the Opernakademie Bad Orb in Germany. In June and July, Julia participated for the first time in Joan Dornemann's International Vocal Arts Institute in Blacksburg, Virginia where she sang Zerbinetta's Aria and the Trio and Duet from Der Rosenkavalier in concert. She also performed in two Masterclasses: one with Joan Dornemann and one with Steven White, of Opera Roanoke. In May, in Reading, Pennsylvania, Julia performed a solo recital of works by Strauss, Mozart, Barber and Handel at Trinity Lutheran Church, and as part of Berks Opera Workshop's Series "Unleashing Your Inner Opera Fan", at the Miller Center for the Performing Arts.
In June of 2010, Julia finished her Apprentice Artist season at Center City Opera Theater where she performed numerous roles as well as in Masterclasses with Laurie Rogers (Dalls Opera, Saratoga Springs Opera), and Leland Kimball (Opera Delaware). She also finished her time as an Artist-In-Residence with New York Lyric Opera Theatre in April, where she participated in a Masterclass with Steven Crawford (The Metropolitan Opera) and performed in concert at Symphony Space. In August of that same year, Julia participated in The Lotte Lehmann Akademie in Perleberg, Germany where she performed in two Art Song Recitals, one focused on French Melodie and the other on German Lieder. In November, she was a Guest Masterclass Presenter at the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Performing Arts, where she talked about dramatic interpretation in singing, and taught LVPA students valuable audition skills. In previous years Julia has also participated as a Young Artist with Elysium Between Two Continents (performing in Recital in Bernried, Germany and at The Austrian Cultural Forum in New York City), Intermezzo Young Artist Program (singing in a group Recital with Brian Zeger), and The Brevard Music Center (as part of their Janiec Opera Company). She has also been invited to participate in Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance program, as well as The Lyric Opera Studio of Weimar.
Competitively, Miss Walsh was a 2012 Semi-Finalist in The American Prize's "Chicago Opera Award" category, and a Finalist in their "Opera (Women)" category, an Encouragement Winner in the 2010 CareerBridges Competition, Finalist in the 2009 Thursday Musical Young Artist Competition, the 2010 Kennett Symphony of Chester County's Young Artist Competition, and a Semi-Finalist in the 2009 Orpheus Vocal Competition, 2010 North East Regional Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in New Haven, Connecticut, and the Joy In Singing auditions in New York City. Julia was also the winner of the 2006 Reading Choral Society's Young Artist Competition.
Julia has been quite lucky to receive grants and scholarships from The Joyce Dutka Foundation for the Arts, The Berks County Community Foundation, the International Vocal Arts Institute, CareerBridges, The Reading Musical Foundation, The Reading Choral Society, The Brevard Music Center, Westminster Choir College, The National Association of Teachers of Singing, Hunter College of The City University of New York, The American Association of University Women and the P.E.O. Women's Club. Julia has also been a performing member with the Professional Women Singers Association of New York City since 2009.
An alumna of The Berks Classical Children's Chorus in Reading, Pennsylvania, where she developed her love of singing, Julia went on to receive her Bachelor's Degree in Voice Performance from Westminster Choir College and her Master's Degree in Voice Performance from Hunter College.
