About
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 a recent graduate of the Houston Grand Opera Studio and a winner of a 2019 George London Award.
In the 2018/2019, Ms. Sproule makes her Michigan Opera Theatre debut as Olga in Eugene Onegin, returns to Opéra de Montréal as Maddalena in Rigoletto and Flosshilde in Das Rheingold, returns to the Canadian Opera Company as Emilia in Otello, and returns to the Metropolitan Opera for her fifth season for their productions of Otello and Falstaff. Highlights of future seasons include Dorabella in Così fan Tutte at the Metropolitan Opera, Carmen at Pacific Opera Victoria, Olga in Eugene Onegin at Opéra de Montréal, a return to Houston Grand Opera in a leading role and a debut at English National Opera.
Highlights of past seasons include a critically acclaimed European debut singing Erika in Samuel Barber's Vanessa at the Wexford Festival for which critics praised her “vocally and theatrically flawless performance”. She subsequently made her Italian debut at Teatro Lirico di Cagliari as Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera. In her native Canada, Ms. Sproule has sung Maddalena in Rigoletto for the Canadian Opera Company and Vancouver Opera, and subsequently returned to Vancouver as Olga in Eugene Onegin. Ms. Sproule debuted at The Metropolitan Opera in 2015 as the Sandman in Hansel and Gretel and since returned singing the Page in Salome and Inez in Il Trovatore. She has also been on the Metropolitan Opera roster for their productions of Falstaff, Otello, Thais, Eugene Onegin, Le Nozze di Figaro, The Death of Klinghoffer, Manon, and Cavalleria Rusticana. Concert highlights include the alto soloist in Handel's Messiah with the Minnesota Orchestra as well as alto soloist in Beethoven's 9th Symphony at the Aspen Music Festival conducted by Robert Spano, and her Roy Thomson Hall debut in their New Year’s Eve gala.
As a resident of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, Ms. Sproule sang the roles of Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Maddalena in Rigoletto, Countess Charlotte in A Little Night Music, Mercédès in Carmen, Zulma in L'Italiana in Algeri, Third Lady in The Magic Flute, and Vlasta in the US premiere of The Passenger which she reprised at The Lincoln Center Festival.
Ms. Sproule is a native of Montréal, Canada and 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.