About

Praised for her "clear, beautiful soprano" (Aisle Seat),  Marcelle McGuirk (she/they) was a National Finalist in the 2016 Classical Singer Vocal Competition, and won the Amy & James Cohen Achievement award at Opera Connecticut's 2016 American Opera Idol Competition.

Marcelle brings her musical interpretations to the opera, concert, and recital stages. Her repertoire spans the works of the Bel Canto and Romantic eras, and she has a special love for contemporary and newly composed works.

Notable stage credits include: Della (The Gift of the Magi), Snow Maiden (The Snow Maiden), Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Yum Yum (The Mikado), Musetta (La Boheme), Karen/Young Maren (Maren of Vardø), and several roles in the two woman contemporary opera, Between: The Elevator. Her solo concert credits include: Mozart’s Requiem, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Magnificat in D, Faure’s Requiem, and Orff's Carmina Burana.

In addition, she has self-produced numerous recitals and is a co-founder of Prismatic Arts Ensemble, a chamber ensemble that creates immersive stagings of song literature, featuring new works and the works of lesser known composers. She also co-hosts and produces a podcast- My So-Called Opera Life - which offers resources to fellow singers, as well as giving non-singing folks an inside look at having an opera career in the 21st century.

Marcelle is also a Staff Singer and Cantor at the celebrated Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia and is regularly a featured soloist with the Cathedral Basilica Choir.

Originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania, Ms. McGuirk studied at Marywood University before relocating to Philadelphia to further her musical studies. She recorded her first solo album at the age of 18- Echoes of Ireland- a collection of her favorite Irish folk tunes and sacred pieces. She is currently a student of Susan Eichhorn Young.  

When not singing, Ms. McGuirk works with racial justice groups in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, specifically with the Spanish speaking community, as she is of Puerto Rican descent. In her free time, she enjoys watercolor painting, reading, and experimenting with international recipes and cocktail mixology. She lives in Philadelphia with her spouse and their very fluffy dog, Zoë.