Tenor Fred C. VanNess, Jr. (he/him) performs a wide variety of repertoire on stages across New England. Praised for his “superb talent” and “gorgeous vocals”, Mr. VanNess has appeared as Paris in Boston Lyric Opera’s production of Romeo and Juliet and Russell Davenport in Dan Shore’s acclaimed opera Freedom Ride presented in a co-production by MASSOpera and Chicago Opera Theater and numerous other productions throughout New England. Mr. VanNess is a Boston Lyric Opera Jane and Steven Akin Emerging Artists where he covered the title role of Omar and sang the roles of Amadu and Renty in Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels new opera Omar in a new co-production by Boston Lyric Opera with Spoleto Festival USA, L.A. Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago and San Francisco Opera.  This season Mr. VanNess will cover the role of Colin in The Anonymous Lover by  Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-George.

An avid concert performer, Mr. VanNess has appeared with Castle of our Skins, an organization dedicated to celebrating Black artistry through music. With Castle of our Skins, he has performed the tenor solos in the world premiere of Samuel Beebe’s Remember the Sea alongside various solos in their “Night Songs” concert.

Mr. VanNess received his Graduate Performance Diploma from the Longy School of Music of Bard College, his Masters in Music from Louisiana State University and his Bachelors of Music from McNeese State University. He has been awarded the first-place prize for the North Shore Star presented by the North Shore Music Theatre and The Beverly Rotary Club.  He is also a recipient of The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana Career Grant. A native of Kinder, Louisiana, he currently resides in the Boston area.