FRED C. VANNESS, JR. is a former Boston Lyric Opera Jane and Steven Akin Emerging Artist. Past performances include Meleagros, Lysistrata, Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Topper, A Christmas Carol, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company; The Astronaut, Labyrinth, Cambridge Chamber Ensemble; 2nd Man, Carousel, Boston Lyric Opera; Messenger, Aida, Boston Lyric Opera; Paris, Romeo and Juliet, Boston Lyric Opera; Amadou and Renty, Omar, Boston Lyric Opera; Russell Davenport, Freedom Ride, MassOpera; Voltaire/Pangloss, Candide, Opera del West; Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni, Toronto Summer Opera; Don José, Carmen, NEMPAC Opera Project; and Rodolfo, La bohème, Longwood Opera. Mr. VanNess is also a Grammy nominated artist as a featured soloists on Boston Modern Orchestra Projects recording of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X.
Mr. VanNess is a sought-out soloist having performed with many orchestras and choruses. His notable performances include soloist with Commonwealth Chorale, Masterworks Chorale, and Castle of our Skins. Other notable performances solo engagements include featured soloist with the Firebird Pops Orchestra, Salem Philharmonic Orchestra, Obediah in Elijah with Rhode Island Civic Chorale & Orchestra, soloist for Nathanial Hailstork’s I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes with Nashoba Valley Chorale, Ballad of the Brown King with Portsmouth Pro Musica, Schöpfungsmesse with Concord Chorale, Judas Maccabeus, Handel by Candlelight and numerous tenor solo performances of Mesiah with various organizations in New England.
Mr. VanNess has developed and performed his one-man show: When I Think of Home…, at various venues throughout New England and Louisiana. Mr. VanNess received his Graduate Performance Diploma in Opera from Longy School of Music and his Master of Music from Louisiana State University.