Joelle Lachance Mezzo Soprano, Stage Director - Heralded as a “thrilling, powerful voice with a melting pianissimo” (Boston Musical Intelligencer),“nuanced combination of pitch control and power” (rochestercitynewspaper.com), and “a hoot!” (thebargainhunter.com), Joelle has performed a variety of roles including Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro (Buffalo Opera Unlimited), Mère Marie in Dialogues des Carmélites (Eastman Opera Theater), der Komponist in Ariadne auf Naxos (Eastman Opera Theater), Mrs. Nolan in The Medium (Buffalo Opera Unlimited), the Page in Rigoletto (Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Minnie Fay in Hello, Dolly! (Ohio Light Opera) , Phoebe in The Mock Marriage (Ohio Light Opera), Bellomy in The Fantasticks! (Ohio Light Opera), Mrs. Ott in Susannah (Buffalo Opera Unlimited), Coralie in The Daring of Diane (Ohio Light Opera), Julie in The Ship's Captain (The Musicians of Ma’alwyck), Hansel in Hansel and Gretel (New York Lyric Opera Theater; Nazareth College), Ernesto in The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Schmidt Opera Outreach Program at the University of Kentucky), Third Lady in The Magic Flute (Barn Opera), Lucinda in Into the Woods (Ohio Light Opera), First Spirit in The Magic Flute (Glimmerglass Festival), and Calisto in La Calisto (Nazareth College). She made her European debut as Dritte Dame in Die Zauberflöte (Berlin Opera Academy, 2016).

Known for her “simply thrilling - disciplined, precise” performances (The Freeman’s Journal), Joelle was the winner in the Fingerlakes NATS 2022 competition, a finalist in the 2018 Barn Opera Vocal Competition, and a winner of the 2012 Rising Stars Competition at Nazareth College. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in New York Lyric Opera’s Night of Music (November 2019). Her concert repertoire includes solos in Vivaldi’s Gloria, Schubert’s Mass in A-Flat Major, Handel’s Messiah, and the Missa Luba. Masterclasses include programs with Susan Ashbaker, David Aronson, Julianna Gondek, and Laura Brooks Rice. Upcoming performances include Alto Soloist for Handel’s Messiah with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in December. Joelle attended the Eastman School of Music where she studied with Katherine Ciesinski.

In the field of stage direction, Joelle has served as assistant director to Pat Diamond on Prestini’s Silent Light and Octavio Cardenas on Golijov’s Ainadamar (Eastman School of Music). She has directed a staged version of Ned Rorem’s song cycle Evidence of Things Not Seen, Trial by Jury, and The Telephone (Eastman School of Music) as well as made her professional directing debut in 2025 with a production of Hailstork’s Joshua’s Boots with Buffalo Opera Unlimited. Upcoming directing engagements include assistant director to Octavio Cardenas on the world premier of Bellavides’ Dolores with West Edge Opera and director of In a Grove at the Eastman School of Music. Joelle attends the Eastman School of Music where she studies directing with Pat Diamond.