Susannah Biller Kness
The Lee University Presidential Concert Series welcomes home Cleveland native Susannah Biller Kness, soprano, on Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in Pangle Hall.
Daughter of Drs. Tom and Marti Biller, Mr. Kness did her undergrad work at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and then went on to earn her master’s degree from Northwestern University before pursuing her dream of becoming an opera singer.
She first appeared on the opera scene during the 2011-12 season and was praised by the San Francisco Chronicle as an “artist ready for the big time.” She was most recently seen as Daisy in the San Francisco premiere of John Harbison’s “The Great Gatsby” with Ensemble Paralléle.
Ms. Kness has also sung with the Gotham Chamber Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Portland Opera, San Diego Opera, and Opera Theatre of St. Louis. She is an alum of San Francisco Opera’s Merola and Adler programs and was the winner of the Metropolitan Opera Mid-South District auditions.
Upcoming projects for Ms. Kness include the title role in “Madame White Snake,” “La Cenerentola,” and Minnesota Opera’s world premiere of “Dinner at Eight.”
In addition to the Tuesday evening concert, Ms. Kness will teach a masterclass on Wednesday, Jan. 25, at 4 p.m. in Squires Recital Hall, in Lee’s Humanities Center.
Tickets for the concert are $15 for adults and $5 for children and seniors and can be purchased at the Lee University Box Office located in Dixon Center or by contacting 614-8343, Monday-Friday, 3-6 p.m.
The masterclass is a free, non-ticketed event, and is open to the public.
For more information about the Presidential Concert Series or the masterclass, visit http://www.leeuniversity.edu/pcs/ or call the School of Music at 614-8240.