top of page
Anna_Giese_Brand-56.jpg

Previous                      Engagements

INTERNATIONAL HANS GABOR BELVEDERE COMPETITION

Semifinalist

Jurmala, Latvia

JUNE 6, 2024

Dzintari Concert Hall | Jurmala, Latvia

Ilanna travelled to Jurmala Latvia to compete in the final rounds of the 42nd Annual International Hans Gabor Belvedere Competition. She advanced to the semifinals, where only the top 50 singers from 888 who auditioned around the world performed for an esteemed jury of industry professionals. 

CARMEN

Mercédès

Opéra de Montréal 

MAY 18, 2024

SALLE J.-ANTONIO-THOMPSON | Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada

Ilanna sang the role of Mercédès in a staged concert performance of Bizet's Carmen in collaboration with Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières and Opéra de Montréal. Directed by Alain Gauthier and conducted by Alain Trudel. See the program or visit the event page.

LA TRAVIATA

Flora Bervoix

Opéra de Montréal 

MAY 4, 7, 9, 12, 14, 2024

PLACE DES ARTS - Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier | Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Ilanna made her mainstage debut with Opéra de Montréal singing the role of Flora Bervoix in Verdi's masterwork, La Traviata with the Orchestre Métropolitain under the baton of Jordan de Souza and directed by Alain Gauthier. See the program or visit the event page.
 

DIE FLEDERMAUS

Orlofsky

Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera

FEBRUARY 24, 2024

SAFE Performing Arts Center | Sacramento, California, USA

Ilanna reprised her role as Orlofsky in a production conducted by Andrew Altenbach. More info

L'INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA

Nerone

L'Atelier lyrique -

Opéra de Montréal

NOVEMBER 18 & 192023

CENTRE PIERRE-PÉLADEAU - Salle Pierre-Mercureu | Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Ilanna reprised her role as Nerone, one of history's most evil tyrants, in the Atelier lyrique's production of L'incoronazione di Poppea in collaboration with l'Orchestre de l'Agora conducted by Nicolas Ellis with stage director Aria Umezawa. See the program and visit event page.

LE NOZZE DI FIGARO

Cherubino (cover)

Opéra de Montréal

SEPTEMBER 23, 26, 28

& OCTOBER 12023

PLACE DES ARTS - Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier | Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Ilanna will cover the role of Cherubino in Mozart's masterwork Le nozze di Figaro in collaboration Orchestre Métropolitain under the baton of Nicolas Ellis with stage direction by Stephen Lawless.

SONG RECITAL

Soloist

Schulich School of Music

APRIL 6, 2023

Salle Redpath Hall | Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Together, Ilanna and her partner in crime and music, Erin Palmer, perform Poulenc's powerful cycle Banalités, FP 107 alongside Faure's 2 mélodies, opus 1 in a recital coordinated by their mentor and coach, Michael McMahon. Read the program.

FERN HILL

Soloist

Schulich School of Music

APRIL 5, 2023

Pollack Hall | Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Ilanna performs the mezzo solo in John Corigliano's choral masterwork "Fern Hill"  with the Schulich Singers under the direction of Gabrielle Gaudreault, conducted by Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt. This event is open to the public and is also captured on live webcast. Read the program.

WIRTH VOCAL PRIZE

Finalist

Wirth Vocal Prize Competition

MARCH 12, 2023

Pollack Hall | Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Ilanna performs a 25-minute program including songs and arias by Handel, Kahane, Kodaly, Bizet, Ravel, and Ilse Weber for the final round of the Schulich School of Music Wirth Vocal Prize competition. This event is open to the public and is also captured on live webcast. Read the program.

WIRTH VOCAL PRIZE

Semi Finalist

Wirth Vocal Prize Competition

MARCH 10, 2023

Pollack Hall | Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Ilanna performs a 15-minute program including songs and arias by Handel, Poulenc, Britten, Monteverdi and Adams for the semi-final round of the Schulich School of Music Wirth Vocal Prize competition. This event is open to the public and is also captured on live webcast. Read the program.

HÄNSEL UND GRETEL

Hänsel

Opera McGill

JANUARY 27, 29, 

2023

Monument-National | Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Ilanna sings the role of Hänsel in this production directed by Patrick Hansen, conducted by Stephen Hargreaves. Read the program

SONG RECITAL 

Soloist

Schulich School of Music

DECEMBER 2, 2022

Pollack Hall | Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Together, Ilanna and her partner in crime and music, Erin Palmer, perform Mahler's moving Rückert-Lieder in a recital coordinated by their mentor and coach, Michael McMahon.

IL GIUDIZIO DI PIGMALIONE

Venere

Opera McGill

NOVEMBER 4 & 5, 

2022

Pollack Hall | Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Ilanna sings the role of Venere in the world premiere production of Il giudizio di Pigmalione by Canadian composer, Dean Burry conducted by Stephen Hargreaves as part of the Lisl Wirth Black Box Festival. Read the program.

COSÌ FAN TUTTE

Dorabella

Quisisana Resort

JUNE-AUGUST 

2022

Center Lovell, Maine, USA

Ilanna sings the role of Dorabella in a 13-week run of  this camp themed Così fan tutte production at Quisisana Resort. 

A LITTLE NIGHT

MUSIC

Mrs. Segstrom

Quisisana Resort

JUNE-AUGUST 

2022

Center Lovell, Maine, USA

Ilanna sings the role of Mrs. Segstrom in a 13-week run of a Little Night Music at Quisisana Resort. 

CONCERT NIGHT

Soloist

Quisisana Resort

JUNE-AUGUST

2022

Center Lovell, Maine, USA

Ilanna performs every Friday night in a weekly changing program of opera's greatest arias and ensembles at Quisisana Resort. 

COLLABORATIVE

SONG RECITAL

Soloist

Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University

APRIL 24, 2022

McClintock Choral and Recital Room | Evanston, Illinois, USA

In collaboration with pianist Daniel Szefer and violist Josephine Stockwell, Ilanna performs Johannes Brahms' Zwei Gesänge (Two Songs for Voice, Viola, and Piano), Op. 91. Szefer and Starr will also perform Claude Debussy's Trois Chansons de Bilitis, L. 90 alongside selections from Gabriel Kahane's Craigslistlieder. More info.

CONCERTO

COMPETITION FINALS

Finalist

Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University

APRIL 19, 2022

Pick-Staiger Concert Hall | Evanston, Illinois, USA

Ilanna performs Maurice Ravel's Sheherazade as one of the 12 finalists in the all instrument, university-wide 2022 concerto competition. More info.

"SHE SAID..."

MM Graduate Recital

Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University

APRIL 8, 2022

Galvin Recital Hall | Evanston, Illinois, USA

In collaboration with the brilliant Chuck Foster - piano, Brandon Acker - theorbo & baroque guitar & Olivia Knutsen - soprano, Ilanna caps off her time at Northwestern with a curated program of repertoire that revolves around the voices and words of influential women. The program includes the words of RBG, Patti LuPone, Leslie Jones, Gloria Steinem, Simone de Beauvoir, Lucille Ball, Mae West, Ann Landers, Natasha Scripture, Lizz Winstead, Sister Helen Prejean, Ellen DeGeneres & Schehereazade in compositions by Monteverdi, Strozzi, Ravel, Heggie and Evan Mack.  See the event page and the program

IF I WERE YOU

Brittomara (cover)

Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University

FEBRUARY 24-27,

2022

Cahn Auditorium| Evanston, Illinois, USA

Ilanna covers the devilish protagonist in the midwest premiere of Jake Heggie and Gene Schear's most recent operatic collaboration, If I Were You. More info.

MUSIC FOR PEOPLE

WHO LIKE ART

Vocal Soloist

Contemporary Music Ensemble,

Bienen School of Music

FEBRUARY 4, 2022

Galvin Recital Hall| Evanston, Illinois, USA

Conducted by Alan Pierson of Alarm Will Sound, Ilanna performs the solo vocal part in Andrew Hamilton's 20-min contemporary work "music for people who like art" in collaboration with Northwestern University's Contemporary Music Ensemble.  More info.

THE MEDIUM

Mrs. Nolan

Northwestern Opera Theater

NOVEMBER 20 & 21, 

2021

Ryan Opera Theater| Evanston, Illinois, USA

Ilanna sings the role of Mrs. Nolan in Northwestern Opera Theater's production of The Medium by Gian Carlo Menotti. More info

CME Concert 

Soloist

OCTOBER 21, 2021

Contemporary Music Ensemble,

Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University

Galvin Recital Hall| Evanston, Illinois, USA

Ilanna sings the soprano 2 solo in a performance of Marcos Balter’s "meltDown UpShot" in collaboration with Northwestern University's Contemporary Music Ensemble, conducted by Alan Pierson. More info

EarTaxi Festival

Soloist

OCTOBER 4, 2021

Contemporary Music Ensemble,

EARTAXI FESTIVAL

Kehrein Center for the Arts| Chicago, Illinois, USA

In collaboration with Northwestern University's Contemporary Music Ensemble, Ilanna sings the soprano 2 solo in a performance of Marcos Balter’s "meltDown UpShot" conducted by Alan Pierson at the 2021 EarTaxi New Music festival. More info

LA CENERENTOLA

Tisbe

Quisisana Resort

JUNE-AUGUST

2021

Center Lovell, Maine, USA

Ilanna sings the role of Tisbe in a 13-week run of Rossini's La Cenerentola at Quisisana Resort. 

SHE LOVES ME

Ensemble

Quisisana Resort

JUNE-AUGUST

2021

Center Lovell, Maine, USA

Ilanna performs in the company of Bock & Harnick's She Loves Me at Quisisana Resort. 

CONCERT NIGHT

Soloist

Quisisana Resort

JUNE-AUGUST

2021

Center Lovell, Maine, USA

Ilanna performs every Friday night in a weekly changing program of opera's greatest arias and ensembles at Quisisana Resort. 

SERSE

Amastre

Chautauqua Institution - Virtual

JUNE-AUGUST

2020

Online | Chautauqua Institute

Ilanna sings the role of Amastre in a virtual adaptation of Handel's Serse. 

ORFEO REMOTE

La Messagiera

Northwestern Opera Theater

JUNE 2020 

- JANUARY 2021

Online | Northwestern University

Ilanna performed the role of La Messagiera in Orfeo Remote, Northwestern Opera Theater's digital adaptation of Monteverdi's L'Orfeo. The project began at the start of the pandemic, during spring quarter 2020 and the final film was released in episodes in January 2021. More info on the project and Ilanna's episode.

DIE FLEDERMAUS

Prince Orlofsky

Northwestern Opera Theater

FEBRUARY 29, 2020

Cahn Auditorium | Evanston, Illinois, USA

Ilanna performed the role of Prince Orlofsky in Northwestern Opera Theater's production of Die Fledermaus. This was Ilanna's last live performance before the global COVID-19 pandemic. More info

DOG DAYS

Captain (cover)

Northwestern Opera Theater

NOVEMBER 21-24, 2019

Ryan Opera Theater| Evanston, Illinois, USA

Ilanna covered the role of the Captain in the Chicago-area premiere of David T. Little's Dog Days. More info

LA LIBERAZIONE DI RUGGIERO

Melissa

dell'Arte Opera Ensemble

AUGUST 10,15 & 25, 

2019

La MaMa Experimental Theater Company| New York, NY, USA

Ilanna performed the role of Melissa in dell'Arte Opera Ensemble's 2019 Voices From the Tower summer festival. Read a review here

L'INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA

Nerone

Halifax Summer Opera Festival

AUGUST 3 & 8, 

2018

Dalhousie Arts Centre - David Mack Murray Studio Theater| Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Ilanna opened Halifax Summer Opera Festival's 2018 season singing the role of Nerone in their production of Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea. See the trailer. 

DO NOT FORGET US: SONGS OF SURVIVORS

a recital

Vanderbilt University,

Blair School of Music

DECEMBER 1, 2017

Turner Recital Hall | Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Ilanna's senior capstone recital centered around the resilience of Jewish culture during the Holocaust and throughout the 20th century. See the program.

THE MARRIAGE OF

FIGARO

Marcellina

Vanderbilt Opera Theater

NOVEMBER 1, 2017

Ingram Hall | Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Ilanna performed the role of Marcellina in this quirky, The Bachelor-meets-The Real World reality TV version of The Marriage of Figaro. Directed by Gayle Shay and conducted by Jennifer McGuire.

DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE

Papagena

Prague Summer Nights

JUNE-JULY, 2017

Mozarteum| Salzburg, Austria

Under the baton of Maestro Arthur Fagen, Ilanna performed the role of Papagena in a production of Die Zauberflöte directed by Joachim Schamberger. This production was mounted both in Tabor, Czech Republic in addition to performances at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. 

SCENES PROGRAM

Soloist

Prague Summer Nights

JUNE 30, 2017

Lichtenstein Palace| Prague, Czech Republic

In the historic Lichtenstein Palace, Ilanna performed scenes by Offenbach, Bernstein, and Mozart.

PGB (Premiere)

Mezzo Soloist

Alyssa Weinberg

MARCH 19, 2017

Zeitgeist Gallery| Nashville, Tennessee, USA

World premiere art song for percussion, violin and voice by composer Alyssa Weinberg. Ilanna sang the mezzo-soprano solo alongside the concertmaster of the Nashville Symphony, Jun Iwasaki.

LITTLE WOMEN

Cecilia March

Vanderbilt Opera Theater

NOVEMBER 11 & 13, 

2016

Ingram Hall at the Blair School of Music| Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Ilanna sings the role of Aunt Cecilia March in Mark Adamo's opera, Little Women.

SPEED DATING

TONIGHT

Waitress & Event Coordinator

Vanderbilt Opera Theater

MARCH 19 & 28, 

2016

Blair School of Music (19th) & City Winery (28th)| Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Ilanna sings the roles of both the waitress and the speed dating event coordinator in this immersive performance of Michael Ching and Dean Anthony's comic opera "Speed Dating Tonight". More info.

FOLK & FLORA

Soloist

Jack Coen - Blair School of Music

FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Sarratt Cinema - Vanderbilt University| Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Ilanna took part in a world premiere staging of Jack Coen's innovative song cycle exploring the relationship and unique roles that flowers play in our lives. Read more about the project here. And more about Blair School of Music Collaborations here.

BERNSTEIN'S MASS

Featured

Street Player

Vanderbilt Opera Theater

NOVEMBER 13, 14

& 15, 2016

Ingram Hall | Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Ilanna was a Featured Street Player in Vanderbilt Opera Theater's 2015 production of Leonard Bernstein's MASS. She sang the "World Without End" solo and was featured in other numbers such as the dona nobis pacem

bottom of page