OSCEOLA DAVIS earned her BM & BME at “The University of the Arts” in Philadelphia, PA. She was awarded a diploma from the opera department for her continued studies at the “Curtis Institute of Music” also in Philadelphia, PA. Later, she acquired her Master of Arts in Teaching Music at “Lehman College,” CUNY, Bronx, New York.

Born in Camden, NJ, Osceola Davis taught music in the Camden, NJ and in the Philadelphia, PA public school systems before joining the Metropolitan Opera Studio, in NY. Her summers found her performing at the Tangelwood Music Festival in Massachusetts and at the Wolf Trap Summer Festival in Virginia.

Soon there after, Ms. Davis was invited to sing the lead role of Rosina in Rossini’s opera, “The Barber of Seville” at the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz in Munich, Germany. In that debut performance her ovation stopped the show for five minutes.  Her successful European career merited her invitation to the Metropolitan Opera’s grand stage where she made her debut as “Queen of the Night” in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, being the first Afro-American Coloratura to publicly perform that role on that stage. It was conducted by Maestro Lawrence Foster. Thrilling many audiences both home and abroad, she has performed leading roles such as “Blondchen” in Mozart’s The Abduction from The Seraglio, “Olympia” in Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann, “Gilda” in Verdi’s Rigoletto, and “Zerbinetta” in Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos, to name a few. Her career has taken her to Covent Gardens in London, England, La Scala in Milan, Italy, Lyon Opera House in Lyon, France, International Festival for Peace in Russia, and several venues in Finland including Savonlinna Opera Festival in Savonlinna and The Finnish National Opera House in Helsinki. Ms. Davis has performed for presidents and ambassadors and has concertized in: The Academy of Music, in Philadelphia, PA., Deutsche Theater in Munich, Germany, and both Carnegie and Alice Tully Halls in New York. Her career also includes sacred recordings, television appearances, and soloist for The First Church of Christ Scientist in Boston, Massachusetts.

Ms. Davis’ reviews include: A voice “clear, vibrant and full right up to the high “F” region, New York Times; “her appearance combines delicate gracefulness and strength, with a nightingale-like voice,” Finland’s Helsingen Sanomat; “…a voice of unlimited capability,” Germany’s Süddeutsche Zeitung. Ms. Davis’ name has been found in “Who’s Who in America” and Who’s Who” in the World” publications.  

Osceola Davis now teaches voice as a member of the faculty at Lehman College, CUNY.