College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean bruce d. mcclung has announced the appointment of Janinah Burnett as Assistant Professor of Commercial Voice. 

Janinah Burnett’s artistry has carved out a place for her as one of the most versatile and accomplished singers of her generation. Ms. Burnett has performed with many of the opera houses in the United States including the Metropolitan Opera where she was a soloist for eight seasons. Ms. Burnett also debuted roles in several notable international opera houses including the Teatro Dell’Opera di Roma, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. She also was a member of the company that opened the renovated Den Norske Oper in Oslo, Norway.  

In addition to the opera stage, Ms. Burnett has appeared on Broadway. She began her professional career in Baz Luhrmann’s La Bohème on Broadway, which won her the Los Angeles Theater Alliance’s Ovation Award, gave her a Special Tony Award recognition, and allowed for her to appear on the Tony Awards with the show. Years later, Ms. Burnett was a closing cast member in the iconic Phantom of the Opera on Broadway in which she made appearances as Carlotta Giudicelli. 

 During the Covid shutdown in 2021, Ms. Burnett released her debut recording project from her own label CLAZZ RECORDS entitled Love the Color of Your Butterfly. On this album, she broke fresh ground and transcended the traditional genres and parameters in marrying jazz and classical music styles in a term she calls “CLAZZ.” Through collaboration with some of the world’s finest jazz musicians, Ms. Burnett presents a recorded and live concert experience creating a compendium of the musical elements of her life and career. 

 Ms. Burnett holds a Master of Music (MM) in Voice from the Eastman School of Music and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Music from Spelman College.