Sarah Davis
Sarah Davis is a soprano, music educator, and arts entrepreneur based in Greenville, South Carolina. Praised for her “great pathos and handsome tones”, she is passionate about creating meaningful musical experiences that are both artistically compelling and accessible to diverse audiences. She is the founder and Executive Director of Full Body Opera, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting people through the universal instrument of the human voice by bringing opera beyond the stage and into the heart of the community. Whether on the concert stage, leading community initiatives, or in the teaching studio, Sarah strives to make every person feel heard, valued, and connected through the transformative power of music.
Sarah’s operatic career includes performances as Countess Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus, Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen, Erste Dame in Die Zauberflöte, Beth March in Little Women, and Die Frau in Erwartung. She made her professional debut with North Carolina Opera and has since performed with companies including Palm Beach Opera, Music On Site, Inc., and NEMPAC Opera Project. She is a recipient of Encouragement Awards from the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition and was named a winner of The American Prize in Vocal Performance in 2023.
An accomplished concert soloist and recitalist, Sarah has performed major works by Mozart, Bach, Handel, Mendelssohn, and other celebrated composers. Her work in art song earned her the Willis Patterson Award from the George Shirley Vocal Competition. She was featured as a Vocal Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, where she studied with distinguished artists including Dawn Upshaw, Margo Garrett, Randall Scarlata, Tony Arnold, and Will Liverman.
Originally from Boynton Beach, Florida, she earned a Bachelor of Music from Palm Beach Atlantic University, where she studied with Marilyn Mims and was recognized as the Outstanding Graduate in Music. She went on to receive both a Master of Music and a Performance Diploma from the Boston University Opera Institute under the guidance of Penelope Bitzas. While at Boston University, she won the Soloist Competition- the first vocalist in over 20 years to do so- and performed Alban Berg’s Sieben frühe Lieder with the Boston University Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to her performing career, Sarah has more than a decade of experience as a music educator. A member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), she has taught private voice students of all ages and abilities, served as a music director for numerous theatre productions, and taught general music in both public and private school settings. Her teaching is rooted in patience, encouragement, and individualized instruction, helping each student develop healthy technique, artistic confidence, and a lifelong love of music. Through both her teaching and her leadership at Full Body Opera, Sarah is committed to expanding access to classical music and fostering vibrant, connected communities through the shared experience of live performance.