Penelope Shumate
Soprano
In her performance career, Penelope Shumate has been described as having a “voice with power” and a “welcome fire” on stage. The New York Times praised her recent performance as the Soprano Soloist in Messiah for her David Geffen Hall (formerly Avery Fisher Hall) debut at Lincoln Center, stating she “sang the soprano solos with appealing bell-like clarity and surpassing sweetness.” For her return to David Geffen Hall, she performed as a soloist in Carmina Burana; a work that also marked her Carnegie Hall debut and return engagements. Additional Carnegie Hall soloist appearances include performances in Messiah, St. Nicolai Mass, Coronation Mass, Requiem (Verdi and Mozart), and Stabat Mater (Mealor). Also in New York City, she performed the title role in Naughty Marietta in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center.
Her 2023-2025 engagements include her 19th soloist appearance at Carnegie Hall in New York City in Messiah and returning for One World (Jenkins) with Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY). Returning to David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center in New York, she performs Mozart’s Requiem the world premiere of Kindness (Hayes) with DCINY. Her soloist debuts include appearances with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra in Messiah, Paducah Symphony Orchestra in Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, Lansing Symphony Orchestra in Carmina Burana, Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra in Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival in Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten, BWV 202 by Bach, Opéra Louisiane in the role of Hélène in Hell’s Bell (Le timbre d’argent), and in Nashville Opera’s “Opera on Wheels,” and return performances with the Gateway Symphony Orchestra in Zelenka’s Gloria and La Pasión según San Marcos by Golijov, Muddy River Opera Company in the role of Violetta in La Traviata, and with the Paducah Symphony Orchestra in Carmina Burana. She performs her “Bach to Broadway” recital in downtown Chicago at the Fourth Presbyterian Church Concert Series, and in Clarksville, TN, at the Roxy Regional Theatre and at the First Presbyterian Church.
2020/21, 2021/22, and 2022/23 season performances included appearances in both contemporary and traditional operas, concerts, orchestral works, and album recordings. Returning to Carnegie Hall in New York City, she performed as the soprano soloist in Carmina Burana and Messiah with Distinguished Concerts International New York. Her debut and return engagements with the Gateway Chamber Orchestra included performing as the soprano soloist in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 , La Pasión según San Marcos by Golijov, and Bach’s Magnificat. Opera roles with the Muddy River Opera Company included Adina in L’Elisir d’Amore and the world premiere of the new opera Helen in the roles of the Aunt and Annabella. Returning to the Quincy Symphony Orchestra Association, she performed as the soprano soloist in Te Deum by Dvořák. She recorded the title role in the new opera Kassandra, released by Parma/Navona Records and was the soprano soloist on the recording, “as the fireflies watched . . . chamber music of James M. Stephenson,” released by Klavier Records. She also returned to the Galesburg Community Chorus and Knox-Galesburg Symphony Orchestra as the soprano soloist in the Fauré Requiem.
Her 2019-2020 season included debuts and return appearances. She debuted with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London for a CD recording of Messiah at Abbey Road Studios. She was the First Place Winner of the Oratorio division in The American Prize for Vocal Performance. For her debut with Opera in the heights, she performed the title role in the world premiere of the new opera, Kassandra. She was complimented in the New York Concert Review for her performance in Messiah at Carnegie Hall presented by DCINY; “bright, clear sound, excellent diction, real emotional involvement, and spot-on coloratura,” and also performed this work with the Downers Grove Choral Society and the Morton Community Chorus and Orchestra.