b i o g r a p h y

Praised for her 'requisite emotion, physically as well as vocally' (ShowBizRadio), Keely Bosworth Borland is quickly establishing herself as a dynamic lyric coloratura soprano.

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Exciting forthcoming projects in the 2023 season include a benefit concert at Grace & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church as well as rejoining Virginia Opera in Verdi's La Traviata for a cover performance as Annina. Last fall Ms. Borland performed in Virginia Opera's The Pirates of Penzance as chorus (Edith cover) and made her Richmond Symphony Orchestra debut as Soprano Soloist in Handel's Messiah under the baton of Blake Anthony. 

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Although Ms. Borland's 2020/2021 engagements were canceled due to the pandemic, she kept busy with a wide variety of virtual collaborations and role performances including Carrie Pipperidge/Carousel, Anne Egerman/A Little Night Music, and Hodel/Fiddler on the Roof. Canceled performances included Anne Egerman/A Little Night Music with Stillpointe Theatre, a return to BaltiQWERT 18 for Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore, as well as a solo recital with the Tuesday Concert Series DC featuring works by Piaf, Gershwin, Porter, Kern, Trenet, Chaminade, and Herbert.​

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Performance highlights include Fiona MacLaren in Lerner & Loewe’s classic musical Brigadoon with Rockville Musical Theatre, Rapunzel in St. Petersburg Opera’s Into the Woods, where Broadway World remarked that she “possesses a lovely voice and plays her screaming Act 2 fear quite well,” Due Donne/Le nozze di Figaro with Virginia Opera, First Lady/The Magic Flute with Fargo-Moorhead Opera, Gretel/Hansel and Gretel with Opera Louisiane, Soprano Soloist (Gabriel/Eve) in Haydn’s Die Schöpfung with Choralis, and Soprano Soloist in David Lang’s the little match girl passion with the Baltimore Choral Arts Society.

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A champion of operetta, Ms. Borland has performed most of the soprano heroines in the Gilbert & Sullivan canon including Mabel/The Pirates of Penzance, Josephine/H.M.S. Pinafore, Elsie Maynard/The Yeomen of the Guard, Rose Maybud/Ruddigore, Gianetta/The Gondoliers, Constance/The Sorcerer, Princess Ida/Princess Ida, Celia/Iolanthe, Peep-Bo (Yum-Yum cover)/The Mikado, as well as the lesser known roles Sultana Zubeydeh (Rose-in-Bloom) in Sullivan’s The Rose of Persia, Bella Giretti in Lehar's Paganini and Lady Marian Fitzwalter in DeKoven's Robin Hood.

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Ms. Borland has been a Young Artist at Fargo-Moorhead Opera, St. Petersburg Opera, and Charlottesville Opera (formerly Ash Lawn Opera) as well as a Professional Artist at the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival, SongFest, and the Opera Naples’ inaugural Renata Scotto Opera Program.

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A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she earned a Master of Music in Vocal Arts from the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music and Bachelor’s degrees in Vocal Performance & Art History from Lawrence University/Conservatory of Music.

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Keely currently resides in Richmond, VA with her partner as they convert a Retired Air Force Bus into their new tiny home on wheels. Intrigued? Follow along on Instagram @WRENNAbus