Ms. McGuinness made her stage debut performing the role of Nino in the American premiere of Semiramide by Marc'Antonio Cesti, conducted by Alan Curtis, and her professional debut in opera as Cis in Albert Herring with the Berkeley Opera Company. She has also sung with Pacific Repertory Opera, West Bay Opera, Livermore Valley Opera, Opera San Jose, Pocket Opera, Oakland Opera, the Lamplighters, North Bay Opera, and Opera East.
Her performances include Fiordiligi and Despina (Così fan Tutte), Lauretta and Nella (Gianni Schicchi), Anna (Le Villi by Puccini), Pamina (The Magic Flute), Countess Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Pertelote (Chanticleer by Seymour Barab), and the Mother (Amahl and the Night Visitors), First Nymph, (Rusalka), Norina (Don Pasquale), Blanche (Les Dialogues des Carmelites), and Miss Silverpeal (The Impresario).
Solo concert engagements include the world premiere of William Ludtke's Christmas Suite with JoAnn Falletta and the San Jose Symphony, the West Coast premiere of Ned Rorem's Homer, and Messiah with the Solano Choral Society, as well as appearances with the Monterey Peninsula Choral Society and the Handel and Haydn Society of SF.
Ms. McGuinness was soprano soloist for the San Lorenzo Community Church’s Sing-it-Yourself Messiah from 1991-3 and she also covered the soprano soloists of the 1990-1 season of the Berkeley Symphony (conducted by Kent Nagano), the highlight of which was the West Coast premiere of the Suite from Messiaen's St. François d'Assise. She has concertized throughout California, as well as on the East Coast and is often heard in recital with pianist Kathryn Cathcart as one-half of the chamber ensemble, ATHENA.
Ms. McGuinness began her musical education at the organ, adding piano, musicological, and vocal studies while at Cornell University. She received a MM in voice from Holy Names College and a PhD (specializing in musicology) from U.C. Berkeley. Her principal voice teachers have been Jane Randolph, Elizabeth Mannion, and Julia Monroe. Competitions include First Prize at the Martinez Opera Competition and First Prize at the Santa Clara University Art Song Festival Competition. For more about Nanette go to her website.
– “Her clear enunciation, flexibility and creamy golden tone shaped the words and conveyed the meaning...McGuinness used used gesture and to timbre to present the emotional truth of each song…the well-known ‘Jota’ was delivered as well as I have ever heard it sung." (Independent Coast Observer)
– “The role of Despina was sung by Nanette McGuinness...She was excellent; her voice is full and with good enunciation.” (Valley Times)
–“Of a good level, in completing the rest of the cast: the pleasing “Musetta” of Nanette McGuinness... applause for all.” (La Stampa)
– “Nanette McGuinness...[was] a radiant Pamina.” (Hokubei Mainichi)
– “Nanette McGuinness stood out, both for the clarity of her words and for her stamina in the long and difficult part of Nino, Semiramis’ son. “(The Daily Californian)
–“Highlighting a number of extraordinary song cycles…, Fabulous Femmes is perfect for song-recital lovers.” (Chambermusic)
