Biography
2010-2011 highlights included singing the role of Tina in Jonathan Dove's opera Flight with Austin Lyric Opera, performing and recording Samuel Barber and Christmas choral programs with Conspirare for Harmonia Mundi, Rossini's Petite Messe Solenelle with Chorus Austin, and appearing as soloist with the Capital City Men's Chorus. Also in that season she took part in a jazz concert in Klagenfurt, Austria and made her debuts with the Dallas Wind Symphony, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. At the Georgetown (TX) Festival of the Arts she sang Brahms' German Requiem and gave recitals around the US with Scott Kluksdahl beginning with the Helps Festival of Music in Tampa.
“Previous operatic performances include the roles of Ines in Il Trovatore, Countess Ceprano (and covering Gilda) in Rigoletto, and Ida (also covering Adele) in Die Fledermaus with Austin Lyric Opera, Adina in L'Elisir d'Amore and Musetta in La Bohème with the Opera Company of Brooklyn, the title role of Semele at the Staunton Music Festival (VA), and Frasquita in Carmen with the Amarillo Opera. She has performed scenes from Don Giovanni, Die Lustige Witwe and Die Fledermaus with the Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra (TX) as well as La Traviata, Rigoletto, La Bohème, Die Fledermaus, The Tales of Hoffmann, Lakmé, Linda di Chamounix, and Louise in opera galas with Austin Lyric Opera and the Britt Festival Orchestra (OR). With the Austin Symphony Orchestra she sang the role of Sophie in the Act 3 Trio and Finale from Der Rosenkavalier. She has also appeared in concert with the Carinthian Symphony Orchestra of Klagenfurt, Austria and was Artist-in-Residence with the Amarillo Opera.
Oratorio appearances include Handel's Messiah with the Austin Symphony Orchestra, Handel's Samson, Bach's Magnificat and Schubert's Mass in A-flat with Chorus Austin, and Dvorak's Stabat Mater with the Georgetown Festival of the Arts. Ms. Dailey has been heard in recital at the Puigcerda Festival in Spain, and in the summer of 2008 she joined tenor Robert White, composer Lowell Liebermann, soprano Martina Arroyo, violinist Timothy Fain, pianist Inon Barnatan, cellist Scott Kluksdahl, and flutist Marya Martin for the Metropolitan Opera sponsored Mediterranean Music Festival which started in Athens and finished in Venice. Her recital work has also taken her to Minneapolis, Louisville, Lexington, Roanoke, and San Antonio. Mela's Austin performances often include pianists Anton Nel and Rick Rowley.
Passionate about many charities and causes, Mela has raised over $100,000 for Austin groups including Life Works, Austin Lyric Opera, Austin's After School Arts Programs, GLBT Alliance, Historical Organ Restoration, Honor Our Heroes, an Alzheimer's care facility called House of Friends, and many more. In November 2011, she headlined the Survivors Brunch Concert for The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Ms. Dailey is Director of Contemporary Arts at First United Methodist Church in Austin, Texas and leads Sunday evening service called Life in the City at 6:30pm. For more information go to www.fumc.org. You can also follow her on Facebook. |