Lyric-soprano, Jaunelle Roberta Celaire enjoys a musical career as a teacher, soloist,
conductor and performer. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Celaire is internationally
known; performing music that ranges from cabaret to music theatre and from solo recitals
to opera. She has made solo appearances with several orchestras across the nation
including, the Maumee Symphony Orchestra and the Lima Symphony Orchestra. Other appearances
include the University of Michigan Symphony Band, as Musetta, in La Bohême, and the University of Michigan Symphony, premiering the role of the Old Woman, in
a One Act Blues Opera, De Organizer by James P. Johnson, performed at Orchestra Hall in Detroit, Michigan. Celaire made
her debut with the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra in Fairbanks, Alaska, in April 2004,
singing the soprano role in Orff’s Carmina Burana, and sang Micaela in Bizet’s opera, Carmen in April 2005. A few of her roles include, Laurie in Hammerstein's Oklahoma; Susanna in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte; Dido in Purcell's Dido & Aeneas; Mrs. Hayes in Floyd's Susannah; Anna Gomez in Menotti's The Consul; and as the Bystrousky in Jánacek's Pøíhody Lisky Bystrousky, performed in Czech.
Dr. Celaire can be heard on the recording of the Second Anthology of Art Songs by Black American Composers compiled and edited by Willis C. Patterson. Although Celaire maintains an active
schedule, performing, teaching and conducting, she remains dedicated to her voice
studio. Her students have been successful at institutions, such as, the Royal Northern
College of Music in Manchester, England and several major opera apprenticeship programs
across the country. Through constant participation in the NATS Chapter in Alaska,
her studio claims the winners of the annual NATS Competition in Anchorage, Alaska.
Dr. Celaire joined the University of Alaska Fairbanks voice faculty in 2003. Dr. Celaire
has been a guest soprano artist at several festivals, including the Fairbanks Summer
Arts Festival, the Rio International Cello Encounter in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and
several festivals in Europe, including, the Vianden International Chamber Festival
in Luxembourg and the Innibos Music Festival in Nelspruit, South Africa. She is a
member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Currently she is the Artistic
Director for the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival’s Opera Program and the UAF Summer
Music Academy. Her most recent accomplishment was being awarded UAF’s most prestigious
2020 Usibelli Distinguished Service Award! Celaire holds her degrees from Anderson
University, Bowling Green State University and the University of Michigan. Her teachers
include Greta Domenic, Myra Merritt and George Shirley.
