Recognized for her rich, silvery mezzo and her commanding stage presence, Chelsea has been described as being:
"as delightful as one hopes for Cherubino...Her first-act aria captured the breathless perfection of Mozart's portrayal of adolescent emotions."
- Pittsburgh Tribune.
Chelsea Melamed Cushman’s 2023 season included premieres of Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus with Toronto City Opera and the titular role in Cenerentola with COSA (Centre for Opera Studies & Appreciation Canada). Her 2020-2021 appearances include the Canadian premiere of Jake Heggie's song cycle "Camille Claudel: Into the Fire'', and the PARMA records release of seventeen songs for mezzo by Canadian composer Monika Gurak. Chelsea created the role of Jiyan in the 2019 world premiere of Leanna Kirchoff's opera Friday After Friday. For Opera Santa Barbara’s 2018 season she performed Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti, Rosina (cover) in Il barbiere di Siviglia the Announcer in Moore’s Gallantry, Mrs. Noye in Britten's Noye's Fludde, and Javotte in Manon. Other featured roles include the creation of Firdaus Noman in the world premiere workshop of Perla’s Shalimar the Clown with Cincinnati Opera, and Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro for Pittsburgh Festival Opera.
Equally at home on the concert stage, Chelsea has recently been a featured recitalist with SongFest, Toronto Summer Music, and the Carnegie Hall Notables Soirée. A frequent Oratorio soloist throughout North America, her repertoire highlights include The Messiah, Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Bach’s Mass in B minor, and the Lord Nelson Mass.
Chelsea holds a Doctoral degree in Voice from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), where her research and associated performances focused on the late castrati period. She was seen on the CCM stage as Dorothée in Cendrillon and the Page of Herodias in Salome. She earned her Master of Music degree from the San Francisco Conservatory where she performed Meg March in Adamo’s Little Women, La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi, Arsemene in Serse and the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods.