Janet performed at a benefit for the Third Riverbank Association, an environmental activist group in Bloomfield.
She performed an all jazz program this summer with Jim Jasion at GAAMC. Janet performed a spring concert at Oakeside Cultural Center, called "It might As Well be Spring".
She won the Stonewall Society Pride in the Arts award for 2003 for her CD "Something Wonderful".
It features many cabaret and show tunes and is now available!
It's a big file, but you'll be listening to a clip once it downloads.
To purchase "Something wonderful",
click on the CD:It is on CD Baby now or call 1-800-BUY-MY-CD with any major credit card. Her CD is also available at WoodstockCD.com, Amazon.com and at Womencrafts in Provincetown.
She's also available for digital downloads on Apple iTunes.
Career:
Janet Villas has been a member of the NY City Opera for 18 years, and returns this year with performances in Puccini's La Rondine in the chorus.
She's also sang lead roles with George Shirley in Transcendent Voices, and in Susanah and Suor Angelica. She is also an accomplished soloist in the classical repertoire.
She did a whole slew of famous soprano solos at Christ Church in glamorous Glen Ridge, NJ, including the Mozart Ave Verum, the Faure Pie Jesu, a spiritual of
Were You There, the Mozart Laudate Domine and the Alleluia. In addition she has appeared as both the Soprano and Mezzo soloist in the Bach "Magnificat" with the Grace Choral Society.
As a cabaret singer, She performed for the Frontrunner's benefit at the Pride Center in New York,
and performed with Dreamcatcher Rep theatre for their Holiday Cabaret. She also wrote and performed a tribute concert for Richard Rodgers' 100th birthday entitiled, "Something Wonderful"
(interesting how the name matches the CD, huh?)at Oakeside Cultural Center in Bloomfield.
She performed her third cabaret show "I Always Wanted to be A Fifth Dimension..." at Don't Tell Mama's in New York City in May, 2002. Neil Ginsberg was her musical director.
She performed her solo cabaret act"...but not for me!" at Don't Tell Mama's, in 2000. Her first show "Always" was performed at the Ballroom in NYC and was seen throughout New Jersey.
Her benefit performance at Drew University in Madison, NJ for the Names Project raised over $850 for the AIDS memorial quilt in 1994. She has also performed benefits for "Hearts and Voices, "the Jewish Guild for the Blind" and "The Race for the Cure".
She was given the nickname "la Villas" by Greg Moore during a chorus job in 1984, to help Janet feel the inspiration of "La Callas", Maria Callas! Here she is during the recording session of "Something Wonderful" in 2002.
She sang both the Canadian and American National Anthems for the NY Mets. This is her Seventeenth appearance at Shea Stadium. She's also graced the New Jersey Jackals with the anthems.
She was scheduled to sing the national anthem for the Newark Bears...but then there was a BLACKOUT! She also sings for the brand new NY/NJ Juggernaut, women's professional softball team, this year as well. In
addition to baseball and softball, she has opened several NJ statewide cellebrations with the anthem, especially the Maplewood Domestic Partnership celebration and Jersey City Pride.
She's also sung the National Anthem at Continental Arena for The NJ Devils. You can see her singing between Randy McKay and Claude Lemieux (#22). Go Devils!
And here she is singing God Bless America on the dugout at Shea Stadium.
Other important things in her life:
Janet is a teacher at the Brooklyn Friends School. Here's Janet and her students on WNBC television with Janice Huff in May of 2001:
She is also a triathlete, (she likes to put the "Try" back into "triathlete.") and an ardent cyclist.
She completed the Provincetown Swim for Life, a 1.4 mile open water swim, three times including this year. She has completed the 130 mile Boston to Provincetown (in one day) bike ride three times. She has also completed the Harriman Park triathlon twice.
She has completed dozens of races in Central Park, eventually.
Janet performed at a benefit for the Third Riverbank Association, an environmental activist group in Bloomfield.
She performed an all jazz program this summer with Jim Jasion at GAAMC.
