News

“Mezzo Emily Fons sings Hansel in Joel Ivany’s new Hansel and Gretel production at Canadian Opera Company (Feb. 6–21). Simone Osborne is Gretel, Michael Colvin sings the Witch, and Johannes Debus conducts. In March, Fons sings Orlofsky in a Fledermaus staging at the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy.“

Ms. Fons will be returning to the Atlanta Opera for the title role in Rossini’s La Cenerentola in November 2019 and to Canadian Opera Company for Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel in February of 2020.

I’d like to thank the women of Polanki, the Polish Women’s Cultural Club of Milwaukee, for working with me to establish the David Fons Sr. And Alice Fons memorial scholarship award. This scholarship was awarded for the first time at this year’s annual Polanki Awards Tea. I  established this scholarship following my 2017 recital at the Polish Center of Wisconsin in the name of my grandparents who were enthusiastic lovers of music, and encouraged me tirelessly in my education, and career as a musician. The hope is to award the scholarship to a young woman or man studying music, but because my grandparents valued education in all fields, if
there is no music student, another accomplished and deserving student will be chosen!

Each year, Polanki awards twelve scholarships to university students who are either of Polish descent or concentrating on Polish studies. The tea culminates months of preparation, including extensive fundraising, scholarship program publicity, application solicitation, and application review.

The entire Polanki organization takes part in some way in awarding these scholarships, so the Awards Tea is truly a celebration of both the group and their effort in working towards their philanthropy goals.

To learn more about supporting the David Fons Sr. And Alice Fons memorial scholarship, please send a message through the contact form on my website, or contact Polanki at polankiwi@outlook.com.

Emily Fons is proud to share that she is featured in the Winter 2016 issue of the SIU Alumni Magazine. Fons, who received a Master’s of Music degree in 2008 at Southern Illinois University, is highlighted for her operatic ambition.

Emily Fons, M.M. ’08, describes herself as a driven person who clearly understands the type of environment she thrives in. That internal perception guided the classical vocalist to Southern Illinois University more than a decade ago. Now hailed by publications such as Opera News Magazine as one of the rising opera stars in the country, she also has been lauded as one the best singing actresses of her generation.

Read the complete SIU Alumni Magazine article.

Ms. Fons will be returning to the Göttingen Internationale Händel Festspiele for performances of the title role in Handel’s oratorio Susanna. A recording of the project is planned for later release. For more information, visit haendel-festspiele.de.