Bryce McClendon (they/them/she/her) is a multi-disciplinary performing artist, writer, teacher, and creative consultant based in Manhattan. Their work encourages artists and audience members to forge deep connections, identify and question normalized forms of harm, and engage in radical, liberatory thinking. In March 2023, their play with opera (or plopera, if you prefer) The Smallest Sound, in the Smallest Space premiered at Nancy Manocherian's the cell theatre to fully sold-out houses. This May, a staged reading of Smallest Sound... was presented at the Clark Studio Theater at Lincoln Center, produced by The Why Collective and directed by Katy Early. Her podcast Beyond Travesti, an interview series with trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse opera and music theater professionals, is available to stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other platforms. Subscribe to her newsletter, Theminine Mystique on Substack to keep up to date.
As a performer, Bryce was a Regional Finalist in the 2020 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and a 2019 Eva & Marc Stern Fellow at SongFest in Los Angeles. They have performed in numerous operas from the Baroque to the contemporary, including the title role in the world premiere Being Ariodante by Johnathan Dawe and as Arsace in G.F. Handel's Partenope at Opera NEO. Recently, she had the distinct honor of singing for the memorial service of legendary playwright and activist, Larry Kramer alongside countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo. In 2023-2024, they performed with Mosaic Composer's Collective at National Sawdust, as part of the New York City AIDS Memorial's annual observance of World AIDS Day, and as part of an artist's residency at Baryshnikov Arts Center.
As a voice teacher, Bryce works with artists across several performing arts disciplines to achieve their visions through strategy, reflection, dialogue, and practice. Primarily, Bryce works with vocal and dramatic artists interested in the music of the Baroque and Renaissance eras. Bryce's students have performed with prestigious organizations and orchestras including Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, Glyndebourne Opera, Chateau de Versailles, Opéra national de Montpellier, American Bach Soloists, Boston Baroque, Boston Lyric Opera, Bard Music Festival, Michigan Opera Theater, the New York Philharmonic, Apollo's Fire, Florida Grand Opera, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Portland Baroque Orchestra, Teatro Nuovo, Wolf Trap Opera, St. Petersburg Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Washington National Opera. Her students have received honors from the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, the Handel Aria Competition, the Gerda Lissner Vocal Competition, and the Camille Coloratura Competition. Bryce is a longtime student and partner of Haus of Shmizzay.
As a proud non-binary transfeminine person, Bryce works tirelessly to improve outcomes for transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse professionals in opera and classical vocal music. Recently, they collaborated with a small team to develop and launch the first professional directory for TNBGD Opera and Classical Vocal Music Professionals, sponsored by Opera Modo. A graduate of the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, Bryce's dedication to artistic innovation and social progress shines through her diverse body of work.