It is with the greatest pleasure that we welcome back a very special guest, Cori Ellison, for another outing with the V.R.C.S., but only Cori can do justice to a description of her new program, so we now bring you her words on it:

“Once upon a time, a voice was just a voice. From the accidental birth of opera at the turn of the 17th century through the first half of the 19th century, pretty much all operas were new, and composers most often wrote operatic roles for specific singers rather than abstract types, tailoring their music to suit an artist’s peculiar vocal assets and liabilities. In those days, nobody had ever heard of a Jugendlich dramatischer Sopran, a Spieltenor, or a Lyrischer serioser Bass. Leading singers just sang what they felt suited them.

“Then, in the mid-19th century, along came Wagner, and gradually the balance of creative power in the opera world began to shift to Germany. An extensive web of small provincial opera companies began to spring up, often presenting revivals of popular works written for major venues elsewhere. Each of these opera houses had to field a resident ensemble of singers who could fit into roles written for others, like donning a rented costume. Each house needed an Adelina Patti type; a Eugenia Mantelli type; a Jean de Reszke type; a Franz Betz type, and so on.

“Enter the Fach (literally “compartment”) system, a byzantine vocal taxonomy that only a German could have conceived. It classifies thirty distinct voice types according to their range, size, weight, color, and timbre: perfect for people with OCD. In its strictest form, it is not applied widely beyond the German-speaking lands of Europe. Yet its domineering spirit has managed to wield its tyranny worldwide, sometimes causing both fans and power brokers to fail to see the forest for the trees.

“Tonight’s presentation asks the question: What happens when singers break the bonds of their voice types, when they get “All Fached Up”? The chosen selections range from delightful revelations and venerable classics to well-intentioned dumpster fires, and everything in between, sung by both the famous and the obscure. They date from the dawn of the recording era up through the present day, and hail from many corners of the world. I hope that these vocal adventures will inspire some interesting thought, lively discussion, and most of all, enjoyment.”

Reading the above, you can easily understand why we preferred to have Cori give us her own take on what she will be doing. We might also add that her biography is really astounding (it is a big biography). You may be forgiven for believing that Cori Ellison has not slept since 1988!

Meanwhile, we will just remind you of how wonderful Cori Ellison’s previous programs for us have been, and urge your attendance in February for a program that promises to provide a clearer understanding of just what makes a Fach a Fach (or what makes a Cori Ellison a Cori Ellison).

CORI ELLISON: SHE NEVER SLEEPS!

Cori Ellison, a leading creative figure in the opera world, has been staff Dramaturg at Santa Fe Opera, the Glyndebourne Festival, and New York City Opera. She is currently production Dramaturg for the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Ring cycle, and The Magic Flute at Saint Louis Symphony, and has also served in that capacity on L’incoronazione di Poppea (Cincinnati Opera); Orphic Moments (Salzburg Landestheater, National Sawdust, Master Voices); Dialogues des Carmelites (Wolf Trap Opera); Aci, Galatea, e Poliferno (National Sawdust Philharmonia Baroque); Washington National Opera’s Ring cycle; Opera Boston’s The Nose; Offenbach!!! (Bard Summerscape); and La finta giardiniera (Indiana University).

Active in developing contemporary opera, she is a founding faculty member and mentor at American Lyric Theater’s Composer Librettist Development Program and has developed new operas for companies including Glyndebourne, Canadian Opera, Norwegian Opera, Icelandic Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Chicago Opera Theater, Arizona Opera, Opera Birmingham, Pittsburgh Opera, Beth Morrison Projects, Miller Theater, Indiana University Opera Theater, and Crane School of Music. Her English singing translations include Hansel and Gretel (NYCO; published by Schott), La vestale (English National Opera) and Shostakovich’s Cherry Tree Towers (Bard Summerscape). She creates supertitles for opera companies worldwide, including the Metropolitan Opera. Her feature articles have appeared in publications including the New York Times and Opera magazine, and she has contributed to books including The New Grove Dictionary of Opera.

She serves on the faculty at The Juilliard School (Vocal Arts) and the Ravinia Steans Music Institute Program for Singers, where she curates and prepares an annual themed concert program. She has led seminars and taught master classes at schools including Indiana University, Cincinnati College-Conservatory, University of Toronto, University of Texas/Austin, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Boston University, Boston Conservatory, and DePaul University. She adjudicates vocal competitions including the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, Concurso San Miguel in Mexico, Opera Index, and the Wagner Society of New York.

DATE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2026 | TIME: 7:30PM SHARP
PLACE: CHRIST CHURCH THIRD FLOOR MEETING ROOM, 60TH ST. & PARK AVE., N.Y.C.