Eleganza (Cheryse McLeod Lewis & Rhiannon Giddens Laffan) will release their first commercial cd during the 2009-2010 season. The Eleganza CD Release Concert will be held on Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 7:30 pm at Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, 501 South Mendenhall Street, Greensboro, NC 27403. Tickets at the door are $10 - General Admission & $5 Children and Students with ID. CDs will be on sale before and after the concert for $15. If you cannot attend the concert but would still like to purchase the CD, please visit Eleganza's Website.

2008-2009 Season Highlights for Cheryse McLeod Lewis include the title role in CARMEN with Capital Opera Raleigh, the creation of the Ernie Higgins Jazz Band Singer in the World Premiere Opera PICNIC by Libby Larsen, and Soloist for the "Opera in the Barn" Fundraiser for Music for a Great Space.

2007-2008 Season Engagements for Cheryse McLeod Lewis include Flora Bervoix in La Traviata with Piedmont Opera (2007), Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Asheville Lyric Opera (2008), Eleganza concert appearances on the Mount Olive College Recital Series (2007) and the Shaw University Lyceum Series (2008), and a March 2008 Recital as 1st Place Winner of the 2007 Heafner/Williams Vocal Competition.

Cheryse McLeod Lewis was the 1st place winner in the 2007 Heafner/Williams Vocal Competition on Sunday, April 1, 2007.

2006-2007 Season Engagements for Cheryse McLeod include The Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Opera Carolina (2006), Hansel in Hansel and Gretel with Greensboro Opera (2007), and Eleganza concert appearances on the Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church Concert Series (2006) and the Johnson C. Smith State University Lyceum Series (2007).

2005-2006 Season Highlights for Cheryse McLeod include a guest artist appearance in the "Evening of Carolina Voices" concert with The Opera Company of North Carolina, an appearance with the Greensboro Oratorio Society as the Mezzo-Soprano Soloist in Handel's Messiah, several concerts with Eleganza, and a return to The Opera Company of North Carolina as the Page in Salome. Please visit the Engagements page for additional details.

Cheryse McLeod (mezzo-soprano) and Rhiannon Giddens (soprano) perform together as Eleganza. Their unique niche is in the area of vocal duet performance. They perform beautiful duets from a variety of musical genres including opera, art song, musical theatre, spirituals, and jazz. Eleganza's new website is now online at www.EleganzaMusic.net.

2004-2005 Season Highlights for Cheryse McLeod include the title role in Carmen with Asheville Lyric Opera and South Carolina Opera, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel with Connecticut Opera, Ceres in The Tempest with Long Leaf Opera, and a joint recital with soprano Rhiannon Giddens to commemorate Black History Month.