Jena Abati

Jena studied voice at Eastman Conservatory of Music and Canisius College. Jena also has received vocal guidance from Evans Mirageas, previous vice president of Decca Records and artistic director of the Cincinnati Opera, and Giovanni Reggioli, past artistic director of the Washington National Opera and the Metropolitan Opera.

Jena is the recipient of the Andy Anselmo Scholarship, and awarded first place in voice for New York State and Eastern United States by the MTNA, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and Eastman Advanced Performance. She has been featured in Classical Singer magazine, Buffalo News, Business First, Art Voice, various community newspapers, and appeared on several local television programs. Jena was the soloist in the documentaries “Building a Basilica” and “Proving Holiness,” which aired on national and international television. She also was a featured singer in “Life Is A Cabaret” at Kleinhan’s Music Hall and with the Camerata di Sant’ Antonio. Jena is an alumna, and past featured soloist, of the Canisius Chorale, Chromatic Club, Eastman Rep Singers, and Rochester University Women’s Chorus. She is the featured singer for St. Joseph’s Cathedral and the Buffalo Bisons.

She has performed for numerous organizations including Make-A-Wish Foundation, Lewiston Council of the Arts, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and WCHOB ArtVoice claimed her portrayal of Musetta, Nickel City Opera’s La Boheme, to be “excellent….her light soprano voice is beautiful.” Buffalo Rising praised Jena in the role of Barbarina, Nickel City Opera’s Le Nozze di Figaro, saying her “voice and demeanor were perfect for the role” and the Buffalo News further stated her performance was “girlish and engaging.” In June 2016, Jena portrayed the role of Melodie Jones in Nickel City Opera’s world premiere of SHOT! at Shea’s Performing Arts. Most recently (2021), Jena was the featured soloist with the BPO under the direction of Joann Falletta.

Jena has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, Summa Cum Laude, in Music, a minor in Women Studies,  and Master of  Science degree in Anatomy.