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» Jane's bio in German, and recent concert program (PDF)
Jane Foster grew up with Gospel Music as part of her church choir in a small town outside of Atlanta, Georgia.
For Father's Day, Jane recorded Songs for Dad, four inspirational and patriotic songs that she remembers from her childhood. Christmas is celebrated in her recording, A Most Wonderful Christmas Present.
Jane made her professional operatic debut as Gilda in Verdi's Rigoletto as a guest artist with the Opera of the Silesian Theater in Opava, Czech Republic. She was invited to return to the theater as Mimi in Puccini's La Boheme. She has returned many times to the Czech Republic. She has recorded with the Moravian Philharmonic in Olomouc, and was recently a guest of the Hradec Kralove Philharmonic singing excerpts from Italian operas.
Jane has also performed the roles of Violetta in La Traviata, the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, and Elsa in Lohengrin. She became Marguerite of Gounod's Faust for Opera of the Hamptons in Long Island, New York—a role she "interpreted to perfection."
Drama prevailed when, on two days' notice, she flew to Germany to join a tour of Carmen. Her twelve performances as Micaela in Cologne, Mannheim, and other German cities played to full houses and glowing reviews. Critics hailed her appealing voice and polished artistry, while audiences applauded her charm and dramatic talents.
Ms. Foster repeated her Micaela at Opera of the Hamptons, on Long Island, New York where she "radiated a sweetness and innocence that was deeply affecting, with a voice that was appealing in timbre."
Experienced on the recital stage as well as in the opera house, Ms. Foster made her New York Carnegie Hall Recital Debut singing a program of French Romances & Mélodies in Weill Recital Hall.
Of her debut recital, New York critic Fred Jarvis wrote Ms. Foster possesses a "beautiful and beautifully schooled lyric voice. The works were intensely felt and effectively projected. Ms. Foster's sound was consistently puissant, radiant and perfectly controlled." Leighton Kerner of the Village Voice said, "her artistry enabled her to penetrate to the core of the song."
Her current recitals focus on the Art Songs of American composer Kathleen Lockhart Manning (1890-1951). With accompanist Carla Mariani, Jane has recorded 35 of Mrs. Manning's songs on the CD, To the Mart of Dreams—Songs of Kathleen Lockhart Manning (Vol. 1).
Jane is a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology, and received her Masters of Architecture Degree from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to her singing career, she is a registered architect and works with her husband, Arthur S. Willson in their Design Build firm, Foster-Willson Company, Inc. in Philadelphia.
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THE SHATTERED MIRROR
Recording Project with Curtis Percussion Group
Operesque Classical Concerts, NYC, September 6, 2003
WAGNER
Lohengrin, Elsa
Operesque Classical Concerts, NYC, September 6, 2003
MOZART
Le nozze di Figaro, Countess
Opera Viva!, Czech Republic, August 2002
GOUNOD
Faust, Marguerite
Opera of the Hamptons 2002
review
PUCCINI
La Boheme, Mimi
Opera of the Hamptons 2000
BIZET
Carmen, Micaela
Opera of the Hamptons 1998
review
Europaische Opern-Gastpiele Tournée, Germany/Austria/Switzerland 1997/1998
VERDI
Rigoletto, Gilda
Opera of the Silesian Theater, Czech Republic 1995
La Traviata, Violetta
Castel Opera Arts, 1993
review
roles prepared...
WAGNER
Lohengrin, Elsa
Wagner Theater Program at Mannes, Spring Semester, 2003
WAGNER
Tannhaüser, Elisabeth
VON WEBER
Der Freischütz, Agathe
Wagner Theater Program at Mannes, Spring Semester, 2004
MOZART
Don Giovanni, Donna Elvira
PUCCINI
Manon Lescaut, title role
Tosca, title role
Fanciulla del West, Minnie
VERDI
Aida, title role
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COPLAND CONCERT — Switzerland
Ein besonderer Gag war der Auftritt der amerikanischen Sopranistin Jane Foster mit den fünf Old American Songs von 1950 des aus New York stammenden Aaron Copland, ein vielseitiger Kamponist des letzten Jahrhunderts.
Zunächst war das Werk für Singstimme und Klavier konzipiert, 1952 schrieb er dann die Fassung mit Orchester.
Die reichhaltige Instrumentation wurde von Orchester fabelhaft umgesetzt, die Sopranistin gefiel mit ihrer klaren, ausdrucksvollen Stimme. Zündende Rhythmen mit witzigen Einfällen durchwirken das Werk, die Bläser imiterten die Tierstimme eindrücklich im funften Song “Ich habe mir eine Katze gekauft”.
Jane Foster glänzte hier auch schauspielerisch.
A special part (of the Neues Zuercher Orchester Program) was the appearance of American soprano Jane Foster with the five “Old American Songs” from 1950 by New York composer, Aaron Copland. Copland, a versatile composer of the last century, wrote the work for voice and piano 1952; he later wrote the version with orchestra.
The rich instrumentation was implemented by the fabulous orchestra, the soprano pleased all with her clear, expressive voice. Rousing rhythms with funny ideas pervade the work, the winds’ imitation of animal sounds was impressive in the fifth song “I Bought Me a Cat”. Throughout Jane Foster shone also as an actor.
—Gerhard Franz, Engadiner Post, Saturday, February 22, 2014
Ebenso aussergewohnlich waren die “Old American Songs” von Aaron Copland in der interpretation durch die erfahrene amerikanische Opernsängerin Jane Foster. Die Sopranistin gewann diesen rhythmisch geprägten Orchesterliedern mit ungekünstelter, ausdrucksvoller Stimme jenen musikalischen Farbenreichtum ab, der hier vom Liebeslied (Long Time Ago) bis zur Tierparodie (I bought me a Cat) zu durchschreiten ist.
Also exceptional were the "Old American Songs" by Aaron Copland in the interpretation by the experienced American opera singer Jane Foster. The soprano won these rhythmically influenced orchestral songs with a natural, expressive voice, with a musical richness of colors ranging from the love song (Long Time Ago) to the animal parody (I bought me a Cat).
—Martin Edlin, Schaffhauser Nachrichten, Tuesday, March 3, 2014
After a short break the successful American Soprano Jane Foster sang a selection of Old American Songs by Aaron Copland – this was a lively and charming performance (also with orchestra) and what an honour to have Jane singing in Klosters!
—Clair Southwell, Klosters, March 2014
Abwechslungsreich gestaltete sich die Darietung der Sopranistin Jane Foster: Die “Old American Songs” von Aaron Copland beinhalteten sowohl lüpfige, heitere Lieder als auch mitreissende Traditionals. “I bought me a Cat”, eigentlich ein Kinderlied, wurde von ihr zu einem anspruchsvollen und unterhaltssamen Stück gestaltet, welches an ein dadaistisches Gedicht erinnerte. Ihre kraftvolle Interpretation von “Long Time Ago”, die vom NZO sehr gut unterstützt wurde, wird in besonders guter Erinnerung bleiben.
The richly varied performance of soprano Jane Foster: The "Old American Songs" by Aaron Copland included both toe-tapping, cheerful songs and rousing traditional ones. "I bought me a Cat", actually a children's song, was in her presentation, a challenging and entertaining piece that resembled a Dadaist poem. Her powerful rendition of "Long Time Ago", which was very well supported by the NZO, will remain a particularly good memory.
—Franziska Raaflaub, Anzeiger von Saanen, March 14, 2014
Jane Foster, soprano, and Carla Mariani, piano
Produced by George Blood Audio, Philadelphia, PA
…Soprano Jane Foster renders the songs with intelligence and grace. She effectively colors her voice to highlight the text or play a role.…Pianist Carla Mariani performs with clarity and sensitivity, providing textural variety while supporting the singer….All of the songs are brief, ranging from 41 seconds to 2:45 minutes, but each is a miniature gem.
—Diane Follet, Journal of the international alliance for women in music Vol. 11, No. 2 – 2005
TO THE MART OF DREAMS
Songs by Kathleen Lockhart Manning (1890-1951), Vol. 1
Compact Disc Review (PDF)
Jane Foster, soprano, and Carla Mariani, piano
Produced by George Blood Audio, Philadelphia, PA
…Soprano Jane Foster renders the songs with intelligence and grace. She effectively colors her voice to highlight the text or play a role.…Pianist Carla Mariani performs with clarity and sensitivity, providing textural variety while supporting the singer….All of the songs are brief, ranging from 41 seconds to 2:45 minutes, but each is a miniature gem.
—Diane Follet, Journal of the international alliance for women in music Vol. 11, No. 2 – 2005
THE SHATTERED MIRROR
Recording Project with Curtis Percussion Group
May 2005
"On the very first take at the CD recording session, Jane Foster's solo obligatio sailed above the staff, seemingly without effort and with clear intonation. I could not have been more pleased with Jane's interpretation of this first recording of the suite from my opera, The Shattered Mirror, and do hope to have the pleasure of working with Ms. Foster again."
—Michael Udow, [Equilibrium EQ80 projected release date January 1, 2006]
FAUST, Marguerite
Opera of the Hamptons
"…Marguerite, a young innocent girl with a loving soldier brother, Valentin, and would-be boyfriend, Siebel, but who succumbs to the lure of diamonds showered on her by the besotted Faust and then is seduced by him and bears an illegitimate child, whom, in a moment of madness, she kills. Jane Foster interpretated this role to perfection as her beautiful soprano voice soared through the ‘Jewel Song’ aria and the final triumphant ‘Anges pur, anges radieux’ trio."
—Roy Bradbrook, Dan's Papers, July 19, 2002
CARMEN, Micaela
Opera of the Hamptons
"Jane Foster, as Micaela, was deeply affecting, with a voice that was appealing in timbre."
—Fred Volkmer, The Southhampton Press
LA TRAVIATA, Violetta
Castel Opera Arts
"Jane Foster has a lovely voice and was a most convincing Violetta...She has an appealing stage personality, and is a sensitive and musical artist."
—Nico Castel, Style & Diction Coach, Castel Opera Arts
DEBUT RECITAL
WEILL RECITAL HALL AT CARNEGIE HALL
"A beautiful and beautifully schooled lyric voice actually did appear in our midst (Carnegie Recital Hall) on April 6th when Jane Foster offered a program of rare 19th century French songs....the works (by Meyerbeer, Delibes, Reber, Lalo, and Massenet) were intensely felt and effectively projected and Ms. Foster's sound was consistently puissant, radiant and perfectly controlled."
—Fred G. Jarvis, The Winged Foot
"...Jane's artistry enabled her to penetrate to the core of the song."
—Leighton Kerner, The Village Voice
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