Twenty-year-old Wellborn resident Chelsea Nicole Oxendine has been invited by “Operafestival di Roma” to participate in its program this summer in Rome. Oxendine will sing in productions of Mozart’s, “Die Zauberflöte” and Puccini’s “Suor Angelica” and, in addition, will take voice lessons, study Italian language and lyric diction, and participate in an opera performance class and in various master classes taught by the distinguished Operafestival faculty.

Oxendine started singing before she started talking. She spent her early life and teen years as a member of First Baptist Church of Live Oak, where she was often called upon to sing solos and in various ensembles. She attended Suwannee High School and in 2004 won the Miss Suwannee High School award with singing as her talent. She began to study voice seriously at that point working with Anita Countryman at The Music Center of Live Oak. Later she entered Lake City Community College where she studied with Owen Wingate. In April 2008, she was accepted into the Stetson University School of Music and awarded the William E. Duckwitz Talent Scholarship to pursue her vocal studies.

Oxendine has sung at Carnegie Hall with the Masterworks Festival Chorus and in February 2008 won third place in the North Florida NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) competition. Her dreams are to make singing her career and sees her participation in the unique program “Operafestival di Roma” offers as the next step in that direction.

“It’s an experience a lot of people don’t get at 20 years of age,” she said Thursday. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for someone with my career goals.”

“Operafestival di Roma” is a non-profit educational organization whose purpose is to identify and support students, faculty and professional musicians in the United States and the rest of the world interested in furthering both their musical education and their practical performing experience. These musicians spend the month of July in Rome studying voice, acting and opera in the land where opera has been and still is the most important cultural activity in the culture. The participants perform full opera productions, accompanied by the International Chamber Ensemble Symphony Orchestra, in an historic performing space in the center of Rome. Performances are attended by large audiences of very knowledgeable opera lovers.

Oxendine will perform a recital concert on Saturday, May 24 at 7 p.m. in the Suwannee High School auditorium. Admission is free, though contributions to support her participation in the “Operafestival di Roma” program will be accepted.