News & Schedule
BON APPETIT with South Bend Lyric Opera – Oct. 18-19, 2024
STREET SCENE with Central City Opera – 07/13/24
Cherry Duke makes her company debut with Central City Opera in a new production of STREET SCENE, with music by Kurt Weill, and a libretto based on the play of the same name by Elmer Rice, with...
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE with El Paso Opera – 05/17/24
Cherry Duke is delighted to return to the Abraham Chavez Theater and to Sondheim. This will be Cherry's second Sondheim musical, after playing Mrs. Segstrom in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC with Indiana...
National Opera Association Conference Presentation – 01/04/24
As a result of her successful collaborations and community engagement initiatives at The University of Texas at El Paso, Cherry Duke offers a presentation at the 2024 National Opera Association...
¡Celebración! – 09/28/23
Cherry Duke produces and directs Opera UTEP's annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration concert. This year, she also performs "Noche de Ronda" with student guitarist, Christopher Garcia. ---
El Paso Opera’s MOZART BY MOONLIGHT – 09/16/23
LA TRAVIATA with El Paso Opera – 06/03/23
Cherry Duke returns to the Abraham Chavez stage with El Paso Opera in LA TRAVIATA. She plays the role of Violetta's friend, Flora Bervoix. The show will be conducted by Jorge Parodí and stage...
An Afternoon of Song – 04/23/23
Together with acclaimed pianist Dr. Casey Robards, Cherry and her husband, tenor Brian Downen, present a recital of works for voice and piano. The concert at Central Christian Church in Decatur,...
Interview with Maria Thompson Corley
As part of a series of events leading up to the world premiere of THE FOX AND THE COOKIE, Cherry Duke sat down with the composer/librettist, Dr. Maria Thompson Corley. This interview was facilitated...
THE FOX AND THE COOKIE – world premiere – 03/23
This semester, Opera UTEP will present the world premiere of an opera for young audiences with words and music by Maria Thompson Corley. THE FOX AND THE COOKIE is a 30-minute work based loosely on...
Song Cycles by African Heritage Composers – 02/24/23
Cherry presents excerpts from her program Life & Death: Art Songs of African American and African Diaspora Composers at the 3rd Annual Sam Houston State University Art Song Festival. Admission...
Radio Broadcast: Life & Death Recital
Listen here LIFE & DEATH: Art songs by African American & African Diaspora composers is a performance by Cherry Duke, accompanied by Esequiel Meza, Jr. on piano. It was recorded by the UTEP...
¡Celebracion! – 10/13/22
Cherry Duke produces and directs Opera UTEP's annual Hispanic Heritage concert, with headlining guest artist baritone Levi Hernandez. Additional guest performers include UTEP faculty Oscar Macchioni...
LIFE & DEATH: Art songs by African American & African Diaspora composers – 11/10/22
NATS member Cherry Duke and Esequiel Meza, Jr., piano, were selected from a competitive pool to perform their recital at the 2022 Texoma NATS Conference Artist Series. The National Association of...
LIFE & DEATH: Art songs by African American & African diaspora composers – 10/08/22
Cherry Duke is joined by Esequiel Meza, Jr., piano, to perform songs in English, Italian, German, French, and Spanish by African American and African Diaspora composers on the University of Texas at...
El Paso Opera’s FRIDA – 08/27/22
Cherry is the assistant director for El Paso Opera's new production of FRIDA, directed by Justin Lucero. --
Opera UTEP’s LUISA FERNANDA – 04/22
Cherry Duke, director/producer Bohuslav Rattay, conductor Dr. Elisa Fraser Wilson, chorus master Dr. Esequiel Meza, Jr. vocal coach/rehearsal pianist Leslie Lopez, choreographer
Radio Interview: Cherry Duke talks ‘Life & Death’
Listen here Cherry Duke shares with KTEP host Keith Pannell how her on-stage career developed and continues to grow. They discuss their favorite operas and the value of the arts in our community....
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony – 02/22 – Postponed
Cherry Duke returns to the El Paso Symphony Orchestra as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Ode to Joy, from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. [The EPSO Concert is still happening, but the Beethoven's 9th...
NOA Conference Presentation: The Case for Zarzuela in Collegiate Opera and Voice Programs – 01/06/22
Many universities include Spanish art song in standard voice training repertoire, but few offer operatic options en Español. The United States’ Hispanic population is growing rapidly, and it is...
Original Cast Album
Original Cast Recording, available on VIA Records.
City Center Encores! Cast Album
Cherry Duke teaches voice and opera at the University of Texas at El Paso
