photo by S. Menendez
american opera singer Kirsten Scott has been described as a “creamy toned” mezzo with “charm to burn”.
She joins Mittelsächsisches Theater in Freiberg, Germany for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 seasons. In her first season, she will make her role debuts as Frau Reich in Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor, Maddalena in Rigoletto, and Palmatica in Der Bettelstudent. She will also headline the New Year’s Concert (Neujahrskonzert 2023 - Die Rückkehr der Fledermaus) in Bautzen, Germany.
In 2021, Ms. Scott made her European role debut in Crete, Greece as Idamante in Idomeneo with the Athens Philharmonie under the baton of Myron Michailidis and direction of Stefanos Koroneos at the Cultural Conference Center of Crete. The same year she also debuted as Giannetta in L’elisir d’Amore with Opera in Williamsburg.
She joined the Metropolitan Opera for their 2019-2020 season educational program, as one of four soloists performing in the ongoing collaboration with Saint David’s School and the Met Opera in New York City.
In October 2020, she premiered the role of “Natalie” in The Late Walk, an episode commissioned by Bare Opera for the Decameron Opera Coalition’s award-winning opera mini-series Tales from a Safe Distance. The piece has been recognized as a significant contribution to the art created during the COVID-19 pandemic and will be archived in the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.
In March of 2018, Ms. Scott made her Carnegie Hall (NYC) debut in Stern Auditorium, performing a selection of solo arias and musical theater selections for the Choirs of America concert, "Harmonic Convergence".
In New York City during October 2017, she performed the role of Idamante the world-premiere workshop adaptation - the brainchild of acclaimed opera director David Paul - of Mozart's Idomeneo, entitled "AfterWARds".
Parterre Box praised her 2015 performance in New York City as Pepa in the rarely-performed opera Goyescas by Enrique Granados, noting she,
“had every requirement for this show-off role and a large, meaty, exciting mezzo that has obviously trained with Carmen in her headlights.”
Opera News applauded her “vibrant” and “vivacious” Rosina in The Barber of Seville and her “superb” performance as Nicklausse in The Tales of Hoffmann was hailed by both The New York Times and Opera News.
Ms. Scott made her Florida Grand Opera debut as Vera Boronel in Menotti’s The Consul in May 2015 and has only continued to expand her repertoire and experience throughout the United States. Ms. Scott’s other role credits in opera and theater include Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Second Lady in Mozart's The Magic Flute Stephano in Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette, Cathy in The Last Five Years and Cinderella in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
In the United States she has performed at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater (NYC), Jordan Hall (Boston), The Kennedy Library (Boston), The New York Supreme Court (New York City) for Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Merkin Hall (NYC), The National Opera Center (NYC), the Adrienne Arsht Center (Miami, FL) the Metropolitan Opera Guild (NYC), Harris Hall (Aspen) and Wheeler Opera House (Aspen).
She made her Lincoln Center debut at the Rose Theater singing Rossini’s famous aria “Una voce poco fa” with orchestra in May 2016. In 2011 she performed as lead soloist in the world premiere of the oratorio Illuminessence: Prayers for Peace, a piece commissioned by the Vatican for the decennial commemoration of 9/11. Held in Boston’s iconic Jordan Hall, the performance was broadcast live by WGBH Public Radio.
Ms. Scott was named an eastern district winner and encouragement award winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in November 2014 and 2016 respectively, and received a Portland Opera Lieber Award in 2015.
In 2015 she was selected by renowned soprano Martina Arroyo to perform for Ruth Bader Ginsberg and other prominent New York court officials in “The Trial of Don Giovanni” to celebrate of the 225th Anniversary of the New York Supreme Court.
Ms. Scott’s artistic versatility and interests extend beyond the world of opera. Her musical theater credits include the lead roles of Cathy in The Last 5 Years, Cinderella in Into the Woods, Fantine in Les Miserables, Cinderella in Cinderella and Elinor Dashwood in the premier workshop of Sense and Sensibility, The Musical.
While performing is her passion, she is also an avid runner – three marathons and counting – and a German food enthusiast. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College in Massachusetts and a Master of Music degree from Mannes College in New York City. She is also an alum of the Florida Grand Opera Young Artist program in Miami, Martina Arroyo Prelude to Performance program in New York City, Aspen Opera Theater Center, Mannes Opera Young Artist Program in NYC, American Institute for Musical Studies in Graz program, Boston University Tanglewood Institute and several more.
