JESSIE MASSOUDI
Singer . Actress
A bit about
Jessie
Iranian-American soprano Jessie Massoudi is a native of Southern California best known for her fearless personality on stage. She has been described as having “a young, quirky Elizabeth McGovern quality” in her stage presence and “moves with distinctive personality – finding just the right balance of camp and economy of movement”, (Bruce Fessier, The Desert Sun).
In 2019, Jessie created the role of Janine in the world premier of Gunfight at the Not-So-OK Saloon, a hilarious award winning Hollywood Fringe Festival operetta. Some of her most notable operatic roles include Musetta (La Bohème – Desert Theatre League “Best Supporting Actress” award nominee), Miss Silverpeal (The Impresario), Giulietta (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Nella (Gianni Schicchi), and Dorabella (Così fan tutte). Musical theater and operetta highlights include Gianetta (The Gondoliers), Adele and Alfred (Die Fledermaus), Lisa (The Grand Duke), Lady Angela (Patience – Desert Theatre League “Best Supporting Actress” award winner), Gertrude McFuzz (Seussical the Musical), Amy March (Little Women the Musical), Evita, and Guys and Dolls. In the summer of 2021, Ms. Massoudi returned to live theater with Mission Opera in the West Coast premiere of Offenbach’s rarely performed Le 66 as Grittly.
Ms. Massoudi holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Redlands, where she sang in the award winning Chapel Singers chamber ensemble under the direction of Jean-Sebastien Valleé. As a versatile artist, Jessie is also appreciated as a songwriter and pop singer with a “bluesy quality” to her voice, and frequently performs with the jazz band, North Benched.
Aside from performing, Jessie is also known for her strong activism. As a first-generation biracial Persian American, Jessie is deeply involved in amplifying Iranian American voices in the US, mainly through the National Iranian American Council (NIAC). After working as an Elections Coordinator and Leadership Council Member, she was recently named co-captain for NIAC's Los Angeles Chapter. Ms. Massoudi has also worked with several other human rights organizations- mainly Women’s March, Human Rights Campaign (HRC), and Supermajority.
As a queer woman, Jessie also uses her voice to speak up for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. She often volunteers with HRC and, through NIAC, worked with the Sepi Shyne campaign in West Hollywood, CA, to help make her the first openly queer Iranian to be elected into public office in the entire world. In 2018 Landmark Opera gave Ms. Massoudi the opportunity to play a gender-bending version of Alfred in the popular operetta Die Fledermaus, allowing her to create a lesbian version of a well known character in the opera world. Ms. Massoudi hopes that as a performing artist, she can open minds, raise awareness, and help bring peace to the world.
Events
Multiple DatesFri, Oct 25Oct 25, 2024, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PMLincoln Avenue Church at Heritage Square, 3800 Homer St, Los Angeles, CA 90031, USAOct 25, 2024, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PMLincoln Avenue Church at Heritage Square, 3800 Homer St, Los Angeles, CA 90031, USASource/Filter proudly presents the West Coast Premiere of Paul Hindemith’s daring and rarely-performed opera, Sancta Susanna! This boundary-pushing horror opera will feature a new English libretto by Britta Sterling and Rae Shrum with a fully-immersive staging at the historic Lincoln Avenue Church.
Multiple DatesSat, Jun 08Jun 08, 2024, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PMPerforming Arts Center, 19300 W, 19300 Nadal St, Santa Clarita, CA 91351, USAJun 08, 2024, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PMPerforming Arts Center, 19300 W, 19300 Nadal St, Santa Clarita, CA 91351, USA‘The Merry Widow’ by Franz Léhar is among one of the most famous operettas in history. Set in the 80's, this version is a brand new translation, libretto and dialogue, written by Mission Opera Artistic & Executive Director, Dr. Joshua Wentz!
Multiple DatesSat, Mar 23Mar 23, 2024, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PMSee website for locations
Sold OutFri, Dec 08Dec 08, 2023, 7:30 PM – 11:30 PMSanta Clarita United Methodist Church, 26640 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91350, USADec 08, 2023, 7:30 PM – 11:30 PMSanta Clarita United Methodist Church, 26640 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91350, USAShabe Yalda mobarak! Catch me singing with Mission Opera for Winter Holidays Of the World alongside soprano Sheila Shahbazi and pianist Timothy León to represent the Shabe Yalda section of this concert!
Multiple DatesSat, Jun 17Jun 17, 2023, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PMMcCadden Place Theater, 1157 N McCadden Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90038, USAJun 17, 2023, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PMMcCadden Place Theater, 1157 N McCadden Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90038, USAIn the style of Gilbert and Sullivan, “Gunfight at the Not-So-OK Saloon” is a comedy set in the Old Wild West. “Gunfight” premiered at the 2019 Hollywood Fringe Festival. Winner: Pick of the Fringe / Encore Producer’s Award / John Raitt Award for Best Music and Lyrics.
Multiple DatesSun, Aug 29Aug 29, 2021, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM13060 Roscoe Blvd, Sun Valley, CA 91352, USAAug 29, 2021, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM13060 Roscoe Blvd, Sun Valley, CA 91352, USALandmark Opera presents Gilbert and Sullivan’s THE GONDOLIERS, a comic operetta in English. The Gondoliers will serenade you into a wacky story about a child bride married to an infant king who becomes lost, only to be found twenty years later raised by gondoliers in Venice, Italy.
RSVP ClosedSat, Jun 05Jun 05, 2021, 6:00 PM – Jun 13, 2021, 7:30 PMSanta Clarita United Methodist Church, 26640 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91350, USA
RSVP ClosedSat, Mar 20Mar 20, 2021, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM PDTZoom, Youtube
Sold OutSun, Dec 20Dec 20, 2020, 3:00 PMhttps://www.facebook.com/events/84772671603
RSVP ClosedFri, Mar 06Mar 06, 2020, 7:30 PM – Mar 14, 2020, 10:30 PM11555 National Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064, USA
RSVP ClosedFri, Oct 18Oct 18, 2019, 7:30 PM PDT – Oct 20, 2019, 5:00 PM PDTLos Angeles Mission College, 13356 Eldridge Ave, Sylmar, CA 91342, USA
RSVP ClosedSun, Jul 07Jul 07, 2019, 5:00 PMMcCadden Place Theatre, 1157 N McCadden Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90038, USA
RSVP ClosedSat, Jun 29Jun 29, 2019, 8:00 PM5628 Vineland Ave, 5628 Vineland Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91601, USA- RSVP ClosedSat, Jun 08Jun 08, 2019, 7:00 PM – Jun 29, 2019, 8:00 PMMcCadden Place Theatre, 1157 N McCadden Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90038, USA
RSVP ClosedSun, May 26May 26, 2019, 7:30 PM – Jun 01, 2019, 10:30 PMSanta Clarita United Methodist Church, 26640 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91350, USAMay 26, 2019, 7:30 PM – Jun 01, 2019, 10:30 PMSanta Clarita United Methodist Church, 26640 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91350, USAMission Opera Company presents a fully staged production of Mozart’s iconic comedy ‘Cosi fan tutte’ with orchestra. Who knew fiancée swapping was popular in the 18th Century? Let the Love Games begin! Sung in Italian with English supertitles.
RSVP ClosedWed, Feb 13Feb 13, 2019, 7:00 PM1733 N New Hampshire Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
Multiple DatesSun, Jun 03Jun 03, 2018, 3:00 PM – 6:00 PMSee website for locations
“Where words fail, music speaks”
-Hans Christian Andersen