Bio
Alexandra Schiano relocated to Chicago following the completion of a Master of Music degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music. In her final CIM performance, as Elisetta in Cimarosa’s Il matrimonio segreto, she was hailed by Classical Cleveland as the “vocal highlight” of the production, and praised for her “depth of maturity [and] authoritative vocal presence filled with both nuance and bravura. This is a voice brimming with confidence yet flexible and tender as needed.” Ms. Schiano has sung the title roles in Massenet’s Cendrillon as well as Mozart’s La finta giardiniera (Sandrina/Violante), where The Plain Dealer noted her “charm and fine grasp of phrasing” and Classical Cleveland remarked that the “clear texture of her vibrant voice came through with appropriate agility.”
Ms. Schiano earned her Bachelor of Music degree in voice performance at the University of Iowa where she performed her first main stage principal and comprimario roles. Her other leading roles include Romilda in Serse, Despina in Così fan tutte, Serpetta in La finta giardiniera, The Widow in Argento’s The Boor, Geraldine in Barber's A Hand of Bridge, Angelina in Trial by Jury, Papagena in Die Zauberflöte, and Edith in The Pirates of Penzance.
An enthusiastic proponent of arts and classical music outreach, Ms. Schiano was an artistic associate with the Great Lakes Light Opera Group for two years. In Chicago, she sang Fiordiligi in The Floating Opera Company’s inaugural performance of Così fan tutte, and later reprised her role for Floating Opera's midwestern touring production of the opera. Also in Chicago, Ms. Schiano was pleased to collaborate with Windy City Opera as a cover for Musetta in their premier performance of La bohème, and to sing the principal role of Mimi in DaCorneto Studio's production of La bohème. She is a contributing artist for Praxilla Femina, a feminist music collective dedicated to women-led content creation and community service. Most recently she covered the title role in Pellèas et Mèlisande for the inaugural season of Ouroboros Opera, under the baton of Alexandra Enyart.
Ms. Schiano is a talented concert artist, and has been the featured soprano soloist for Mahler’s symphony no.4, and in orchestral galas for operatic repertoire and in reviews of Rodgers and Hart, and Rodgers and Hammerstein. She’s also been pleased to perform the roles of Violetta, La traviata, and Contessa Almaviva, Le nozze di Figaro, in concert setting.
Alexandra Schiano is current student of Nicole Cabell and a former student of Dr. Mary Schiller.