Jeffrey Keele
Adjunct Faculty in Music
Music Department Office: Music Center 117
Office phone: (402) 643-7282
Profile Bass-baritone Jeffrey Keele is a native of Lincoln, Nebraska. At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, he studied with Donna Harler-Smith and performed in numerous productions with the UNL Opera, including Dulcamara in The Elixir of Love, Olin Blitch in Susannah, Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro, Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, Colline in La Bohème, Sergeant Merrill in Yeomen of the Guard, Achilles in Julius Caesar, the title role in Gianni Schicchi, Superintendent Budd in Albert Herring, Masetto in Don Giovanni, Mr. Gobineau in The Medium, and the Officer in Dialogues of the Carmelites; He also sang leading roles in two world premiere operas: the Bass in Randall Snyder’s The Divine Madness and Frank in Tyler White’s O Pioneers!
Keele made his professional operatic debut in 2000, singing the role of the Jailor in Tosca with Opera Omaha. In 2002 he was bass soloist with the Mozart Requiem of the Omaha Chamber Singers, a part of the September 11 “Rolling Requiem” that took place nationwide. In 2004 and 2005 he was resident artist at the Pine Mountain Music Festival, where he performed the roles of Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola, Colline in La Bohème and the title role in Don Pasquale. Also in 2005 he was baritone soloist in Christus with the National Liszt Society. In the 2006 season Keele performed the roles of Dulcamara in The Elixir of Love at the Southern Illinois Music Festival, John Potts in The Corps of Discovery with the Fargo-Moorhead Opera, and the Sacristan in Tosca with the same company. In 2007–08 he will perform Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro and the Sacristan and Jailor in Tosca, both with Opera Southwest.
Keele has been a bass soloist with the Lincoln Symphony and Opera Omaha, has sung in many oratorios and requiems, and has performed in musicals with community theaters throughout Nebraska, most recently with Tada Productions as Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd. He has won the Metropolitan Opera’s Nebraska District auditions for the past three years, and in 2006 he placed second in the Upper Midwest regional auditions. He has taught at Concordia since 2005 and is also on the voice faculty of Doane College. He lives in Lincoln with his wife Heather and son Jackson.
Education
M.M., University of Nebraska-Lincoln
B.A., University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Courses taught
voice