Janna Kysilko, soprano, is the co-founder and director of Sospiri Early Music. She has appeared in several early opera roles, including Flerida in Cavalli’s Erismena at the Amherst Early Music Festival, Amore in Gagliano’s La Dafne with Bold North Baroque Opera, Euridice in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice at Eastman Opera Workshop, and was contracted to perform in Lyra Baroque Orchestra’s covid-canceled Jomelli Requiem. With interests that expand beyond early music, Janna has given several song recitals for organizations such as the Schubert Club, Thursday Musical, and the Women in Music Festival in Rochester, NY. She has appeared as a soloist with the Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra and the Macalester Festival Chorale, and performed in more modern operatic roles such as Mabel in Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance and Jenny in Sondheim’s Company. Awarded a McKnight grant in 2022, she was able to participate in the International Music Encounters program at Casa de Mateus in Portugal.
Having completed a bachelors in music and Germanic studies at Macalester College, Janna went on to complete a master’s at the Eastman School of Music, where she had the opportunity to work with early music specialists Paul O’Dette and Kristian Bezuidenhout, and studied voice with Dr. Robert McIver. After continuing bel canto vocal studies with the ledendary Emma Small, Janna expanded her early music technique under the tutelage of Spanish mezzo Nerea Berraondo, co-founder of Sospiri. Janna now resides in St. Paul, MN, where she is also a prominent trainer of dressage horses.