Soprano Kathryn Papa is praised far and wide for her warm sound and sparkling timbre, as well as her “effortless panache” (Allegri con fuoco) and magnetic stage presence. An avid recitalist, Ms. Papa has sung recitals in California, Cincinnati and New York, most recently at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music. Ms. Papa also has a passion for concert work, most recently performing Mendelssohn's masterwork Elijah with the Akron Symphony Orchestra in Akron, OH.
She received a Bachelor of Music at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she performed the roles of Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), the Fox (The Cunning Little Vixen), and Atalanta (Xerxes) with the CCM Opera, as well as countless concert works. Ms. Papa then went on to receive her Masters degree at Mannes College: The New School for Music, where she concentrated on a deep understanding of German lieder. She continued to deepen that study at Middlebury Language School’s German for Singers program, a 7-week immersive German language study, where she performed in their German opera pastiche.
Favorite recent credits include Lauretta in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Cinderella in Sondheim’s Into the Woods, Despina in Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte, and the title character in Hiram Titus’s Rosina. She was recently seen in a workshop of John Musto’s upcoming family opera, Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt, with On Site Opera, in collaboration with Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Lyric Unlimited & Pittsburgh Opera. Ms. Papa is thrilled and honored to be joining the ranks of the venerable Metropolitan Opera Chorus for the 2017-2018 season for their production of Verdi's Requiem.
See what others are saying:
"As they have demonstrated in the past, Dell’Arte Opera Ensemble employs highly talented performers and directors. Soprano Kathryn Papa gave a sweet and compelling portrayal of Rosina, a woman caught between the true love yet earthly poverty of Cherubino and the financial security yet emotional dishonesty of Count Almaviva." - Opera News
Full review here.
"Kathryn Papa’'s interpretation of the girls’ mischievous maid was playful, flippant and knowing all at the same time. Papa’s singing equally embodied all of these qualities with an effortless panache and her Italian was always clear and correct." - Allegri con Fuoco
Full review here.