Intro
Intro
Cornelius (C.J.) David is a singer based in the DC area, with a passion for stage performance. As a tenor, he is fluent in musical theatre and operatic literature, feeling at home while singing a Rossini aria and following by belting a broadway rock song. His age is a bit of a mystery, as his students think he’s an adult, but he’s known by directors like Francesca Zambello as “that high school kid”.
AEA | AGMA
About
C.J. is a performer fluent in Opera, Musical Theatre, and everything in between. He enjoys entertaining and baffling audiences with his classically-based technique and over-the-top theatrics, sometimes causing reviewers to describe him as a manic vagabond or a disaffected youth and then praise his beautiful operatic tone all in the same sentence. Whether it's a play, a musical, a drag show, an opera, or a street corner with a microphone, C.J. is up for the challenge and ready to dive right in.
This coming season has C.J. returning to the Washington Concert Opera stage with their chorus for their production of Manon Lescaut. He will be making a return to musical theatre this Spring with the Olney Theatre in Maryland in their production of Senior Class.
He is a regular performer with the acclaimed Washington National Opera, performing in 8 shows with them since 2016, including their recent production of Jeanine’ Tesori’s brand new opera Grounded, directed by Michael Mayes. Other credits include La Bohème, Candide, Alcina, Dead Man Walking, and Cosi Fan Tutte.
Other DC performance credits include: Captain Joe in Looking for Roberto Clemente with Imagination Stage, the title role in VLOC's Robin Hood (DCMTA: Best of 2016), Count Almaviva in Loudoun Lyric Opera's production of Il barbiere di Siviglia and several appearances with organizations such as the InSeries and the Washington Concert Opera.
About
C.J. is a performer fluent in Opera, Musical Theatre, and everything in between. He enjoys entertaining and baffling audiences with his classically-based technique and over-the-top theatrics, sometimes causing reviewers to describe him as a manic vagabond or a disaffected youth and then praise his beautiful operatic tone all in the same sentence. Whether it's a play, a musical, a drag show, an opera, or a street corner with a microphone, C.J. is up for the challenge and ready to dive right in.
This coming season has C.J. returning to the Washington Concert Opera stage with their chorus for their production of Manon Lescaut. He will be making a return to musical theatre this Spring with the Olney Theatre in Maryland in their production of Senior Class.
He is a regular performer with the acclaimed Washington National Opera, performing in 8 shows with them since 2016, including their recent production of Jeanine’ Tesori’s brand new opera Grounded, directed by Michael Mayes. Other credits include La Bohème, Candide, Alcina, Dead Man Walking, and Cosi Fan Tutte.
Other DC performance credits include: Captain Joe in Looking for Roberto Clemente with Imagination Stage, the title role in VLOC's Robin Hood (DCMTA: Best of 2016), Count Almaviva in Loudoun Lyric Opera's production of Il barbiere di Siviglia and several appearances with organizations such as the InSeries and the Washington Concert Opera.
Education
C.J. holds a Master of Music degree in Opera Performance from the Longy School of Music at Bard College, in addition to a Bachelor of Music and Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a former student of Louise Toppin and Donna Roll. He has also had the opportunity to work in masterclasses with Anthony Dean Griffey, Stella Peruci, Alan Bergman, Kevin Deas, Michael Dixon, and Francois Germain.
For two summers, he has worked with the Ohio Light Opera (OLO) as a Young Professional Artist, appearing in almost 100 performances of 12 different shows over the course of both residencies. While there, he was also featured in two concerts as part of their symposium on Operetta and Lyric Musical Theatre: "Songs from the Cutting Room Floor" and "Operetta International". Prior to working with OLO, he worked as a Young Artist with the North Carolina Young Artist Program (NCYAP), making his international debut as Don Basilio/Don Curzio in Le nozze di Figaro as part of the Festival di Musica e Arti Monterchi.
Education
C.J. holds a Master of Music degree in Opera Performance from the Longy School of Music at Bard College, in addition to a Bachelor of Music and Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a former student of Louise Toppin and Donna Roll. He has also had the opportunity to work in masterclasses with Anthony Dean Griffey, Stella Peruci, Alan Bergman, Kevin Deas, Michael Dixon, and Francois Germain.
For two summers, he has worked with the Ohio Light Opera (OLO) as a Young Professional Artist, appearing in almost 100 performances of 12 different shows over the course of both residencies. While there, he was also featured in two concerts as part of their symposium on Operetta and Lyric Musical Theatre: "Songs from the Cutting Room Floor" and "Operetta International". Prior to working with OLO, he worked as a Young Artist with the North Carolina Young Artist Program (NCYAP), making his international debut as Don Basilio/Don Curzio in Le nozze di Figaro as part of the Festival di Musica e Arti Monterchi.
Now
When not singing, C.J. spends his time working as a financial planner in the DC Area with David Wealth Management. an Academic Coach with New York tutoring company Private Prep, specializing in standardized test prep (SAT/ACT/SSAT/ISEE) as well as high school support in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Calculus.
Now
When not singing, C.J. spends his time working as a financial planner in the DC Area with David Wealth Management. an Academic Coach with New York tutoring company Private Prep, specializing in standardized test prep (SAT/ACT/SSAT/ISEE) as well as high school support in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Calculus.
Press
Press:
"[Lane] shares a strong chemistry with the bellhop, Cornelius David, a polished local opera singer whose boyish charm and talent shine on stage."
"Cornelius David has a light, comedic sensibility in duets like 'A Fine Romance,' but his lyrical side, including a delicate falsetto, shone through in 'You’re Devastating.'"
"CJ David is a manic Pistol, as physically over the top as the dialogue Shakespeare wrote for the character...David's intense portrayal is fitting and funny." Eric Minton: "An Aria in Praise of the Fat Knight"
"Most of the principals in this Falstaff are in good voice, with special notice to Jennifer Sin as Nannetta Page and CJ David as Fenton—yes, the manic Pistol of that afternoon's Merry Wives becomes the romantic Fenton in Falstaff. His and Sin's voices blend beautifully in the duets." Eric Minton: "An Aria in Praise of the Fat Knight"
"C.J.David’s disaffected youth routine as the apathetic resort receptionist is handled marvelously, even through the beautiful operatic tone he possesses and expresses effortlessly." Chris Williams, MD Theatre Guide.
"David’s blushing tenor coils around each note like green vine candy, and when paired in 'Within This Hour We Met' with Kline’s silvery soprano, we sense the fleshy intertwining of lovers - they are fabulous individually but orgasmic together." Terry Bryne: "'Robin Hood' at the Victorian Lyric Opera Company"
"Cornelius David, as Gonzalve, elicited the most laughter, as he danced around the stage dressed as a ballerina." L'heure Espagnole.
"Critics are calling the show 'on the money'...never missing a beat by playing butch to the adorable David's boys-will-be-boys sex appeal." Edge Media Network, Loot
Press
Press:
"[Lane] shares a strong chemistry with the bellhop, Cornelius David, a polished local opera singer whose boyish charm and talent shine on stage."
"Cornelius David has a light, comedic sensibility in duets like 'A Fine Romance,' but his lyrical side, including a delicate falsetto, shone through in 'You’re Devastating.'"
"CJ David is a manic Pistol, as physically over the top as the dialogue Shakespeare wrote for the character...David's intense portrayal is fitting and funny." Eric Minton: "An Aria in Praise of the Fat Knight"
"Most of the principals in this Falstaff are in good voice, with special notice to Jennifer Sin as Nannetta Page and CJ David as Fenton—yes, the manic Pistol of that afternoon's Merry Wives becomes the romantic Fenton in Falstaff. His and Sin's voices blend beautifully in the duets." Eric Minton: "An Aria in Praise of the Fat Knight"
"C.J.David’s disaffected youth routine as the apathetic resort receptionist is handled marvelously, even through the beautiful operatic tone he possesses and expresses effortlessly." Chris Williams, MD Theatre Guide.
"David’s blushing tenor coils around each note like green vine candy, and when paired in 'Within This Hour We Met' with Kline’s silvery soprano, we sense the fleshy intertwining of lovers - they are fabulous individually but orgasmic together." Terry Bryne: "'Robin Hood' at the Victorian Lyric Opera Company"
"Cornelius David, as Gonzalve, elicited the most laughter, as he danced around the stage dressed as a ballerina." L'heure Espagnole.
"Critics are calling the show 'on the money'...never missing a beat by playing butch to the adorable David's boys-will-be-boys sex appeal." Edge Media Network, Loot