Sylvain Society is the young professionals affiliate group of the New Orleans Opera Association. Established in 2017, our purpose is to connect the operatic arts to the Greater New Orleans community.
Join us for cultural events around the city, discounts on opera performances, and educational fundraising endeavors to support opera education.
Membership is free and open to anyone age 21-45.
Sylvain Society’s name is an ode to André Grétry’s “Sylvain” opera, the first documented opera performed in New Orleans at the Theatre de la Rue Saint Pierre on May 22, 1796.
2020-2021 Steering Committee
Amanda Credeur
Michael Roussel
Bianca Spears
Sarah Stickney Murphy
This just in!
Join the Sylvain Society Friday, February 19th at 6:00 pm for a free virtual event, a Night with the Black Opera Alliance. In celebration of Black History Month, Sylvain Society is proud to host their February event in partnership with The Black Opera Alliance. The interview will be conducted by Sylvain Co-Chair Bianca Spears, LMSW. In attendance will be Jayme Alilaw, Pamela Jones, and Garrett McQueen representing the Black Opera Alliance. Attendance is free and open to the general public.
Jayme Alilaw is an Army veteran, mother, and creator of many passions who engages the world as an opera singer, coach, content creator, educator, and advocate. Currently based in Atlanta, Georgia, Jayme is committed to elevating the voices of Black creators, producing performance art such as La Femme Noire: The Celebrated Womxn , a celebration of the contributions of African American womxn as composers, poets, and singers, as well as Tapestry: A Historical Journey Through Song, an interactive workshop performance commissioned by The Atlanta Opera for grades K-8 that explores the origins of Spirituals and Freedom Songs and the musical and literary elements that comprise them.
Two-time winner of the National Opera Association Vocal Competition Legacy Award, lyric coloratura soprano Pamela Jones has been a soloist with New York City Opera, Royal Danish Theatre, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Spoleto Festival (USA), American Spiritual Ensemble, L’Orchestre Philharmonique Sainte Trinité (Haiti), Philadelphia Chamber Chorus, Mostly Mozart Festival, American Symphony Orchestra, Trilogy: An Opera Company, Lighthouse Opera Company, Arch Angel Productions, Ember Ensemble, and the Dundalk (Ireland) International Drama Festival, where she won the Best Supporting Actress Award. She earned her master’s degree in Voice Performance from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.
Garrett McQueen spent the first decade of his career working as a professional bassoonist with orchestras including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, the Louisville Orchestra, and many others. Driven to change the aural definitions connected to “classical” music, Garrett left the stage in 2016, and now works as a content creator and digital producer, with projects including the nationally-syndicated radio program, “The Sound of 13”, and the weekly TRILLOQUY podcast.