Katelyn Bird will be making her debut with with Pacific Opera Victoria and as Barbarina (debut) The Marriage of Figaro in April 2024. Miss Bird is a talented and dynamic Canadian soprano who has been praised as a “powerful coloratura soprano [who] sings with precision and secure top notes” (Christopher Hoile, 2022) . She graduated from the Glenn Gould School (GGS) at the Royal Conservatory of Music with a bachelor’s (honours) in Voice Performance in May 2019 and an Artist Diploma in Voice Performance in May 2022.
Ms. Bird’s recent accomplishments include performing with Toronto City Opera as Adele in Die Fledermaus in June 2023, and Stabat Mater with Music Niagara. Other performances include the role of 3rd Spirit in The Magic Flute by W.A. Mozart with Opera York and preparing the role of Donna Anna as an understudy with Toronto City Opera in 2023. She was also a Finalist in Opera de Montreal’s Atelier Lyrique National Auditions in October 2022. Ms. Bird has received critical acclaim for her performances, including her portrayal of Armida in GGS’ production of Rinaldo by Handel in Koerner Hall, which was described as having “appropriate vocal fireworks” (John Gilks, March 28, 2022). She also performed the role of Milica in Ana Sokolović’s Svadba and Young Heidi in an in-concert performance of Follies by Stephen Sondheim in Koerner Hall in the fall of 2021. In November 2020, she performed the role of Annunciata in W. Bolcom’s Lucrezia. In 2019, she debuted as Papagena in the GGS’ production of The Magic Flute by W.A. Mozart in Koerner Hall. Additionally, she received rave reviews for her portrayal of Cecily Cardew in the Canadian operetta, The Importance of Being Earnest, by Eugene Benson and Victor Davies.
Ms. Bird is equally accomplished in concert repertoire and has performed with the Toronto Concert Choir, Novi Singers Toronto, and The Mississauga Symphony Orchestra. She has a particular love for Canadian music and performed in the world premiere of IceFolding, a commissioned work by Anna Höstman, for The Glenn Gould School New Music Ensemble’s 21c festival in Mazzoleni Hall on January 20, 2019. Ms. Bird is dedicated to promoting and spreading her love of Canadian music and is the Artistic Director of Crashcat Studios, where she is working towards creating a company that employs and empowers young artists within the industry. She is also passionate about pedagogy and currently works as a Vocal and Piano Teacher. Ms. Bird has a proven track record of supporting students, having helped a student achieve the Gold Medal for Grade 2 Voice with the Royal Conservatory of Music in 2012. Miss Bird is excited to make her debut with Pacific Opera Victoria as Barbarina in April 2024.