A San Francisco Bay Area native, soprano Jillian Boye began her professional career at the age of 19 singing Barbarina (Le nozze di Figaro) in the landmark inaugural performance inside the newly renovated California Theater in San Jose. Her other roles with Opera San José include Pousette (Manon), Frasquita (Carmen), Giannetta (L’elisir d’amore), Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), Sophie (Werther), Mary Warren (The Crucible), and Oscar (Un ballo in maschera). To quote the Metroactive Stage, “in the part of Oscar, the page, soprano Jillian Boye was chirpy and eager throughout, her reedy tone cutting through the vocal mélange like a warm knife through butter.” Last month, Ms. Boye added Musetta in La bohème to these credits.
With Pocket Opera in San Francisco, she sang Eurydice in Orpheus in the Underworld by Offenbach, a role for which she was hailed for her comedy. The KQED Arts and Culture review stated: “The production was anchored by Jillian Boye's excellent performance as Eurydice. She brought a powerful voice, good comedic instincts and a vivacious presence to the role.”
Last year with Livermore Valley Opera, Ms. Boye performed the roles of Adele (Die Fledermaus) and Lola (Cavalleria rusticana), and she also made company debuts with Lyric Theatre as Yum-Yum (The Mikado) and the Mendocino Music Festival as Frasquita. She awaits an upcoming engagement with Townsend Opera Players as Frasquita.
An active concert soloist, Ms. Boye's credits include Carmina Burana, Misa Criolla, Gloria (Rutter), Exsulatate, jubilate (K.195), Serenade to Music, Brahms’ Libeslieder (Op. 52) and The Messiah. She has performed with the Symphony Silicon Valley Brass, Sierra Symphony, South Valley Symphony, and American Philharmonic. She also sang the world premieres of Out of Africa with Ballet San Jose and Songs of my Aims by Jason McChristian. This summer, Ms. Boye will return to the Mendocino Music Festival to sing excerpts from Der Rosenkavalier, Così fan tutte, L’italiana in Algeri, and others in Mendocino Music Festival's OperaFest.
Ms. Boye received the Encouragement Award at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2008 and was also recognized at the Henry and Maria Holt Scholarship Competition with the Young Artist Incentive Award. In 2004, Ms. Boye won the grand prize in the San Jose Opera Guild Vocal Competition and was a finalist in the East Bay Opera League Vocal Competition.
Ms. Boye is a student of Cesar Ulloa. As a participant in the intensive Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute in San Francisco for two seasons, she sang the roles of Despina in Così fan tutte and Dorine in Kirke Mechem’s Tartuffe. Ms. Boye holds a Bachelor of Music degree from San José State University. She is an experienced cantor and greatly enjoys singing outreach concerts for local elementary schools and retirement homes.