Hailed as a “ superb discovery” by Operà Magazine, Canadian Jessica Strong has been praised for her “charismatic stage presence, lusciously warm vocals, [and] gleaming top notes.” (Opera Canada) Known for her musical sensitivity, she weaves nuanced performances with her “powerful soprano, whose voice commands attention.” (Classical Voice America)
Recently, Ms. Strong made a striking debut in her hometown with Manitoba Opera's Don Giovanni, performing the role of Donna Anna. Her portrayal garnered high praise, with The Globe and Mail proclaiming her a “standout, [with] fine dramatic colourings to her voice, a technique that unfailingly serves her artistic choices, and impressive acting chops. She is clearly on the way to an impressive career.”
She also starred as Marta in Oper Frankfurt’s revival production of Die Passagierin, where she was lauded for “always hit[ting] exactly the right timbre” (der Opernfreund) and her “radiant voice, both admirable in colour and passionate in its risk taking” (Convertonet).
Jessica’s performance history demonstrates a wide-ranging versatility across a diverse operatic repertoire. She recently revisited the role of Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus with Saskatoon Opera and made an important appearance with Opera Vlaanderen, jumping in last minute as Amelia in Simon Boccanegra where “she excelled in this difficult role” (Place de l’Opera).
With Oper Frankfurt, she debuted many leading roles: the title role in Barber’s Vanessa, Alice Ford in Falstaff, Lina in Verdi’s rarely performed Stiffelio, Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and she received rave reviews for her portrayal of Prima Donna Rosa in Fioravanti’s rarely performed Le Cantatrici Villane.
Other roles with Oper Frankfurt include a foray into Wagnerian repertoire with Woglinde in Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung, as well as Siegrune in Die Walküre. She also appeared as Virtù/Pallade in Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea and Eleonora in Martinů’s Tränen des Messers and she participated in the world premiere of Rolf Riehm’s Sirenen – Bilder des Begehrens.
Jessica obtained a Master of Music from the University of Toronto, where she was heavily featured as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, Frasquita in Carmen, Cunegonde in Candide, and Clarice in Il Mondo della Luna. During further training at the Music Academy of the West, she jumped in last minute to perform Anne Truelove in The Rake’s Progress and sang scenes as Violetta in La Traviata, while with Opera NUOVA, she sang Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus. Additionally, she covered Helena in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Aspen Music Festival. Jessica holds additional degrees, a Bachelor of Music from the University of Manitoba, along with an A.R.C.T. from the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Ms. Strong is the recipient of numerous awards, including grants from the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts, and FACTOR, as well as prizes from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the WMC McLellan Competition, the Canadian National Music Festival, among others. She is a member of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association (CAEA) and the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television, and Radio Artists (ACTRA).
Her Canadian stage debut came with Calgary Opera in Rossini’s L’Italiana in Algeri, where her portrayal of Elvira was highly praised. She also returned to this company to debut Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen. As a graduate of Calgary Opera's Emerging Artist Program, Jessica performed roles such as Annina in La Traviata (and covered Violetta), the title role in Il Segreto di Susanna, and Ginevra in Handel’s Ariodante. She covered other roles including Alice Ford in Falstaff and Mimi in La Bohème.
As a member of the Internationales Opernstudio at Oper Frankfurt, Jessica participated in the Oper für Kinder outreach program, performing roles such as Senta in Der Fliegende Holländer, the Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro, the Mother in Hänsel und Gretel, and Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail.
Ms. Strong’s concert appearances include collaborations with renowned ensembles such as the St. Lawrence String Quartet, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, The Calgary Festival Chorus, The Aldeburgh Connection, The Musical Offering, and Canzona. She has also performed at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall as part of the "The Song Continues" series with Marilyn Horne and Jessye Norman. Her concert repertoire includes Beethoven’s Mass in C Major, Brahms’ Deutsches Requiem, Chausson’s Chanson perpétuelle, Fauré’s Requiem, Handel’s The Choice of Hercules and Messiah, Mozart’s Exsultate jubilate, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Symphony No. 2 'Lobgesang', Orff’s Carmina Burana, and Strauss’ Vier letzte Lieder.
Beyond the opera stage, Jessica is also a sought-after voice and piano teacher, with a career spanning Canada, Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands. She is a former faculty member of the University of Limerick’s Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and currently runs the Strong Juju Voice and Piano studio in Amsterdam.
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