Arts
Soprano Jennifer Youngs began her 2019-2020 season with an appearance as Armida in Handel’s Rinaldo with The American Baroque Opera Company. Jennifer made her main stage Dallas Opera debut as Olimpia in Argento’s The Aspern Papers and was seen in the role of Laurette in the Dallas Opera Outreach production of Bizet’s Dr. Miracle. Opera roles include Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Birdie in Regina, Vitellia in La clemenza di Tito, Casilda in The Gondoliers, and Clorinda in La Cenerentola. She has been a featured soloist for Mahler’s 4th Symphony, Carmina Burana, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, Bach’s Cantata #110, Brahms Requiem, Mozart’s Exsulate, jubilate, and Mozart Requiem. She has been a featured soloist with The Dallas Symphony, The Dallas Opera Orchestra, Abilene Philharmonic, Winston-Salam Symphony, Richardson Symphony, and University of North Texas Symphony orchestras. Jennifer is a champion for living composers and has been featured on recitals with composers Jake Heggie, Tom Cipullo, Dominick Argento, S. Andrew Lloyd, Paul David Thomas, Lisa Despain,, and Dave Brubeck. Jennifer also is a member of the GRAMMY-nominated ensemble, The South Dakota Chorale. Jennifer has been nominated for a Richard Tucker Foundation Career Grant in NYC. She is the winner of the Lois Alba Aria Competition, winner of the Kansas City District of the Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions, winner of the concerto competition at The University of North Texas, and a semi-finalist in the Loren Zachary Vocal Competition. In the fall of 2020, Dr. Youngs joined the faculty of Brigham Young University, in Provo, Utah. Previously, Jennifer was an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Vocal Studies at Texas Woman’s University, in Denton, Texas. She earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Performance and Pedagogy as well as a Master of Music degree in Performance and Opera from the University of North Texas and a Bachelor of Music degree in Performance from the Conservatory of Music at University of the Pacific. “The standout in the Rinaldo cast was Jennifer Youngs, who vividly portrayed Armida’s vulnerability as well as ferocity. Her substantive soprano alternately raged, flickered and delicately touched in high notes.” -The Dallas Morning News