Acclaimed for her “sizeable rich tone and striking presence” (Opera Canada), “whose star is deservedly on the rise” (Opera News), Canadian mezzo-soprano Carolyn Sproule is engaged in the 2021-2022 to open Houston Grand Opera’s season as Carmen in Rob Ashford’s dynamic production, conducted by Lidiya Yankovskaya. Ms. Sproule subsequently debuts at Teatro dell’Opera di Roma as Varvara in Kát’a Kabanová in a Richard Jones production, conducted by David Robertson; returns to The Metropolitan Opera for their production of Madama Butterfly; and debuts at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence in a new production of Salome.

In the 2020-2021 season, Ms. Sproule debuted at Opera Hong Kong in the title role of Carmen, and was scheduled to debut at San Diego Opera as La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi and La Zelatrice in Suor Angelica conducted by Yves Abel in a new production by Paul Curran; Des Moines Metro Opera as Pauline in Pique Dame; return to the Minnesota Orchestra for Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis conducted by Osmo Vänskä; debut at Pacific Opera Victoria as Carmen; the National Arts Centre as the alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah; English National Opera as Dorabella in Così fan Tutte, as well as a return to The Metropolitan Opera roster for Roberto Devereux.
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Highlights of past seasons include singing Dorabella at The Metropolitan Opera in Phelim McDermott’s Coney Island production of Così fan Tutte conducted by Harry Bicket, as well as Ines (Trovatore), Page (Salome), and Sandman (Hansel and Gretel) at The Met; Erika in Samuel Barber’s Vanessa at The Wexford Festival for which she received unanimous critical acclaim and received an award from the festival as their favorite singer of the season. In her native Canada, Ms. Sproule has sung Maddalena in Rigoletto for her Canadian Opera Company debut in a Chris Alden production, as well as at Vancouver Opera, Opéra de Montréal and Houston Grand Opera. She has sung Olga in Eugene Onegin in Vancouver, Montreal, and for her Michigan Opera Theater debut.

A native of Montréal, Canada, Carolyn Sproule is a graduate of The Juilliard School (BM 2010), and Rice University (MM 2012). She also participated in residencies at the Merola Opera Program, Wolf Trap Opera (Filene Young Artist), the Houston Grand Opera Studio, Aspen Opera Theater, and The Banff Centre. She is a winner of a 2019 George London award, the Marcello Giordani memorial prize in the 2019 Premiere Opera Foundation Competition, as well as a recipient of grants from the Jacqueline Desmarais foundation, HGO studio, Wolf Trap Opera, and Merola.