Brian Cheney
Brian Cheney is emerging as one of the most unique and thrilling American tenors of his generation. This exciting young tenor has received national acclaim for his interpretation of operatic roles such as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Nemorino in L'Elisir D'Amore, Rodolfo in La Boheme, the Duke in Rigoletto, Don Jose in Carmen, Tom Rakewell in The Rake's Progress and Alfredo in La Traviata.
No stranger to the concert stage, Mr. Cheney's oratorio and concert experience ranges from critically acclaimed performances of Handel's Messiah in New York City, Providence, and Philadelphia to Mendelssohn's Elijah, Britten's Saint Nicolas, Mozart's Requiem as well as Leonard Bernstein's Candide.
An accomplished recitalist, he has been praised for his “wonderful gift for capturing the nuances and emotions in songs of any language." He recently made his Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall debut with dear friend and pianist, Catherine Venable with whom he has performed recitals and concerts throughout the United States. The New York Sun declared that “Cheney exhibited such control, expressiveness and pure vocal beauty that he certainly had the full house at Weill Recital Hall in the palm of his hand all evening.”
In addition to his stage, concert, and recital performances, Mr. Cheney maintains an active interest in teaching and was recently appointed to the faculty of the Conservatory of Music at Capital University, Columbus, Ohio and Department of Music at Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio.
In addition to his Carnegie Hall debut, highlights from his last two seasons include: second round finalist in the Mezzo Opera Competition in Zseged, Hungary, the role of Cortez in the world premier of Daniel Steven Crafts opera La Llorona, the Duke in the Asheville Lyric Opera’s production of Rigoletto, and tenor soloist in Mendelssohn: The Man & His Music at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.
Mr. Cheney is a native of Michigan and attended Manhattan School of Music and Temple University. He makes his home with the three most important women in his life: his wife, Jeannean, and his two daughters, Rose and Kate.