KATRINA THURMAN
soprano
BIOGRAPHY
Praised for her “silvery, floating soprano” and “vocally brilliant European debut” soprano Katrina Thurman is one
of the most promising talents of her generation, captivating audiences and critics alike with her distinctively beautiful
voice, powerful stage presence, sensitive artistry, and physical beauty.
During the 2009-2010 season Ms. Thurman performs Belinda in Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas with the The Yard in
Martha’s Vineyard, records Louis Karchin’s opera Romulus on the Naxos label, debuts with Sacramento Opera as
Adina in Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore, creates the role of Liz in the New York City workshop staging of Conrad
Cummings’ new opera The Golden Gate, and performs as a principal soloist in the highly anticipated European
premiere of The Opera Show, which will tour Spain and Italy in the spring of 2010.
During the 2008-2009 season, Ms. Thurman debuted with Lyric Opera of Kansas City as Musetta in Puccini’s La
Bohème, Florida Grand Opera as Ellen in Delibes’ Lakmé and Barbarina in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, and
Syracuse Opera as Amy in Mark Adamo’s Little Women. In the 2007-2008 season, Ms. Thurman debuted at Tulsa
Opera as Erste Dame in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and returned to Glimmerglass Opera to cover the role of
Bianca/Lois Lane in Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate and to perform as a soloist in “We Open in Paris,” a concert with
celebrated pianist Steven Blier honoring the 20th anniversary of both Glimmerglass Opera’s acclaimed Young
American Artists Program and the renowned New York Festival of Song.
Additional performance highlights include Ms. Thurman’s French opera debut as Najade in Strauss’ Ariadne auf
Naxos with Opéra National de Lyon, her critically acclaimed German debut with Oper Bonn in the roles of Alyeya in
Janáček’s From the House of the Dead, Vénus in Rameau's Dardanus, and Mrs. Naidoo in Philip Glass’ Satyagraha,
Martha in the world premiere of Louis Karchin’s Romulus with American Opera Projects and the Guggenheim
Museum’s Works & Process series, and Musetta in La Bohème with Piedmont Opera.
An accomplished recitalist and concert artist, Ms. Thurman has been a featured soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony
Orchestra, the Utah Symphony and Opera, and the Omaha Symphony, and made her New York City recital debut at
Trinity Church in the Noonday Concert Series.
Ms. Thurman is an alumna of the Young American Artists Program at Glimmerglass Opera, where she performed the
roles of Diana in Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld and Ninfa in Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, and the Aspen Opera
Theater Center, where she performed the role of Sister Suzanna in the world premiere of Bernard Rands’ Belladonna.
She was the first place & audience choice award winner in the 2008 Classical Singer Magazine Competition and has
received awards and honors from the Jensen Foundation, the National Opera Association, the Connecticut Opera
Guild, the William C. Byrd Foundation, the Anna Sosenko Assist Trust, and the Schuyler Foundation for Career
Bridges. Ms. Thurman holds a Master of Music from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and
a Bachelor of Music from Oklahoma City University, and currently resides in New York City.