Mezzosoprano Kristen Darragh is one of New Zealand’s most exciting upcoming operatic talents. Ms. Darraugh completed The NBR New Zealand Opera as an Emerging Artist, where she made her debut as Fyodor in Boris Godunov and has since performed the roles of Giovanna in Rigoletto, Siebel in Faust and most recently the title role of Isabella in L’Italiana in Algeri. The 2009-2010 season also included the role of Olga for The NBR New Zealand Opera’s production of Eugene Onegin. In the 2010-2011 season Ms. Darragh will perform the role of Azucena in Il trovatore with Den Nye Opera.
Miss Darragh’s operatic experience in the United Kingdom includes The Stewardess in Jonathan Dove’s Flight and Florence Pike in Albert Herring (British Youth Opera), The Musico in Manon Lescaut (Opera Holland Park), Baba the Turk in The Rake’s Progress (Dartington), Third Lady in The Magic Flute (Opera del Mar), and Zita in Gianni Schicchi (Opera Fringe Northern Ireland). Roles for Royal Academy Opera include Cherubino Le Nozze di Figaro under the direction of John Copley and the baton of Sir Colin Davis, Zita in Gianni Schicchi, Masha in Shostakovich’s Paradise Moscow and the title role in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia. Opera scenes include Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Erika in Vanessa, Nancy in Albert Herring, Cesare in Giulio Cesare, Hermia in A Midsummer Nights Dream and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier.
Miss Darragh has performed regularly on the concert platform in the United Kingdom, most notably as the soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria and Mozart’s Requiem at London’s St Martin-in-the-Fields. In 2008 she was a finalist in the Royal Overseas League Competition and was awarded a scholarship from the Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation to take part in the Solti Accademia di Bel Canto in Italy. This year she was a finalist in the Lexus Song Quest and was invited to sing Carmen with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.
Miss Darragh holds a BA in English Literature from the University of Auckland and has experience in acting for both theatre and television. Ms. Darraugh graduated from the Royal Academy of Music Opera in London, where she was awarded a Karaviotis Scholar.
INTERMEZZO ARTISTS MANAGEMENT For more information contact Filippo Anselmi at 212-531-1514, filippo@intermezzofoundation.org Mitchell Piper at 860-255-7618, mitchell@intermezzofoundation.org |