Cherokee Indian and Italian-American soprano Alea Louise Vernon obtained her bachelor’s degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Elliot Madore and William McGraw and is working toward her master’s degree in vocal performance. Vernon is a graduate of The Juilliard School’s pre-college division and an alumna of the Ensign-Darling Fellowship at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford, Connecticut.
Vernon grew up in the New Haven area of Connecticut, where much of her childhood was spent making Sunday sauce at Nana’s, learning about her father’s home and hearing his stories, and apple picking with her brothers. Drawing from her multi-cultural background, Vernon enjoys learning about and honoring family traditions, especially from her Italian-American and Appalachian Cherokee descendants. Vernon credits her unique upbringing and supportive family for her ability to pursue her passion.
Vernon has been a featured soloist with appearances in renowned theaters such as Carnegie Hall, Paul Hall, the Bushnell Theatre, Peter J. Sharp Auditorium, Seiji Ozawa Hall, the New World Center and, now, Music Hall, where she’ll make her Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra debut singing the Queen of the Night’s vengeance aria in the Lollipops Family Concert “The Music of Magic and Mayhem.” Among Vernon’s recent greater Cincinnati performances are as soprano soloist in Haydn’s Lord Nelsen Mass, José Nunes Garcia’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah and Mozart’s Requiem.
While at CCM, Vernon has been involved with projects spanning multiple genres, including art song, opera and musical theater. She debuted as Eurydice in Orpheus in the Underworld, and sang the Queen of the Night role in Mozart’s The Magic Flute. In 2022, Vernon debuted as a headliner with Princess Cruises, singing the role of the Queen of the Night in their on-board production and giving a solo concert with the house orchestra that featured repertoire ranging from golden age musical theater to classical cabaret standards to operatic hits. This season, Vernon made her professional debut with Queen City Opera singing the role of the Queen of the Night in Super Flute, Josh Shaw’s reimagined video game production of The Magic Flute.
Since singing her first world premiere in 2018 at the Midwest Composers Symposium, Vernon has been particularly passionate about 21st-century music. Since then, she has been involved in several premieres in both opera and concert repertoire, including the 2022 premiere of the song “Take this Job and…” by Evan Mack, a collaboration with Cincinnati Song Initiative. She also workshopped Revenants, a new opera by Eli Lucas, with the Scandinavian Society of Cincinnati.
Prior to beginning her studies at CCM, Vernon spent her summers at the Casentino Voice Festival in Poppi, Italy, New York Summer Music Festival, Boston University Tanglewood Institute and the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. In the summer of 2019, Vernon was a member of the Janiec Opera Company at Brevard Music Center—one of the youngest to ever hold a residency there.
Vernon’s awards and honors include National YoungArts competition winner; second place in SongSlam, a competition that commissions new works; a Three Arts Scholarship; and first place in the pre-college division of the American Prize Women in Song and American Prize Women in Opera; she also is a two-time George London Scholarship recipient.
Above all, Vernon is an advocate for classical music, wishing to bring classical music and opera to listeners from all walks of life. She believes opera has a place for everyone, be it performing, being part of the creative process or enjoying it from the audience. Vernon is especially fulfilled in her work with public schools, hoping to pass on the spark by creating educational performances, masterclasses and outreach programs.
During her free time, Vernon enjoys being the “Dog Mom” to Sophie Vernon, a 4-year-old mini Bernedoodle. The two can be found playing fetch, tug of war, going on runs and walks and, of course, visiting the local puppy patisserie.