Jessica Leigh

Jessica Leigh, soprano, is a versatile singing actress comfortable in a wide range of repertoire. Recognized for her artistic honesty and effortless vocal production, she is dedicated to creating an experience through music. This intentionality shines through each performance, whether it be Schumann’s tender “Mondnacht,” Violetta’s fiery “Sempre Libera,” or the heartbreaking “She Used to Be Mine” from Waitress. Ms. Leigh’s interpretation of the soprano solo in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 was described as “transcendent,” and her rendition of Fantine’s “I Dreamed a Dream” from the hit musical Les Misérables was noted for its “piercing delivery.” She has been part of numerous programs and companies including Opera Columbus, UK Opera Theatre, Opera Maine, Lyric Opera Studio Weimar, Bay View Music Festival, and The Lexington Theatre Company. Performance credits include the title role in Susannah, La Traviata (Violetta), Le nozze di Figaro (Susanna), Die Zauberflöte (Pamina), La Bohème (Mimì), Sondheim on Sondheim, and Songs for a New World.

As a concert artist Jessica has been a guest of the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra for Carl Orff’s Carmina burana and Poulenc’s Gloria; the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic for Mozart’s Requiem; and she will debut with the Canton Symphony Orchestra in March 2026 for Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem. Ms. Leigh is also a member of a prestigious touring company, The American Spiritual Ensemble, who recently headlined the international music festival La Folle Journée and performed over ten concerts to sold-out audiences.

Off the stage, Jessica maintains a regular teaching schedule and continues scholarly pursuits in research. As a teacher, she works with children, teens, and adults, focusing on building a strong technique based on efficient use of breath and the body as an instrument. Research interests include a particular concentration on African American women composers, and on the subjects of sexual violence in music theatre and practices regarding artist care during productions. She is co-author with Dr. Jennifer Campbell on a paper entitled “Staging Susannah on a University Campus in the Post-Covid-19 and #MeToo Era: A Case Study.” The paper was presented in March 2024 at an international musicology conference, “Exploring Gender-Based Violence and Femicide in Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Music Theatre,” at the University of Bern, Switzerland.

Upon completion of her thesis entitled “Essence of the Heart: Layered Human Experience in Eva Jessye’s ‘My Spirituals,’” Jessica was awarded a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in voice performance from the University of Kentucky. Writings and scholarship are listed under the authorship of “Jessica Bayne” or “Jessica Brunet.”

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