Sydney
Murrell
Schedule
Upcoming Engagements
Description
Join JMU Opera Theatre for the operatic adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. When a military regiment returns from war, Hero will marry Claudio! However, Hero’s cousin, Béatrice, is annoyed that this also means her nemesis, Bénédict, is back. As Béatrice and Bénédict bicker, everyone can see their banter is a symptom of love. What will it take for Béatrice and Bénédict to recognize it, too? Premiering in 1862 as an opéra comique, this musical gem was French composer Hector Berlioz’s love letter to the Bard. Written at the very end of his life, Béatrice et Bénédict defiantly celebrates love, hope, and the people who really get under our skin.
Sydney Murrell
Béatrice
Dates
Description
In 1794, during the final days of the French Revolution, a group of Carmelite nuns joyously went to the guillotine singing psalms and hymns of praise. This defiant display of love and generosity in the face of certain death helped turn the tide of the Reign of Terror and has inspired countless individuals in times of crisis and turmoil. This fascinating moment in history became the subject of French composer Francis Poulenc’s 1956 opera. Written in the wake of World War II, Dialogues of the Carmelites is a profound meditation unlike any other work in the repertoire. Through beautiful choruses and intricate scenes, the opera explores how we live, how we die, how we fall apart, how we come together, and why we must keep singing to the very end. Sung in English with English surtitles.
Sydney Murrell
Blanche de la Force
Dates
Biography
Hailing from Arizona, Sydney grew up singing with family during holidays, roadtrips, and pretending to be a contestant on “American Idol” with her older brother. This summer, Sydney joined the Charlottesville Opera chorus as a section leader for their 48th summer season, including Bizet’s Carmen and Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance. During the 25/26 season, Sydney is performing Béatrice in Béatrice et Bénédict by Hector Berlioz this November and Blanche de la Force in The Dialogues of the Carmelites in February.
During the 24/25 season, Sydney performed the role of Cendrillon in Pauline Viardot’s Cendrillon with Nightingale Opera Theatre, The Prince in Rachel Portman’s The Little Prince, and covered the role of Idamante in Mozart’s Idomeneo with JMU opera theatre. Previously, Sydney has embodied a variety of roles, including Brittomara from Jake Heggie’s If I Were You, Jo March from Mark Adamo’s Little Women, Madame Desrochés from Hans Bridger-Heruth’s A Certain Madness, and Cupid from John Blow’s Venus and Adonis.
Sydney completed her bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University in 2021 in the beautiful mountain town of Flagstaff, Arizona. There, she studied under Cynthia Skelley-Wohlschlager and Deborah Raymond. Sydney currently resides in the Friendly City, Harrisonburg, Virginia. Here, she aims to achieve her master’s degree in opera
performance at James Madison University in the studio of Sonya Baker.
