Kathryn Cowdrick

Biography

Kathryn Cowdrick , mezzo soprano, recently celebrated her 30th anniversary as a performer by appearing as Despina in Opera Saratoga’s production of Cosi fan tutte- the very first opera role she undertook in 1981. She is a graduate of Penn State and Columbia University with degrees in speech and voice pathology and began her singing career when awarded an Adler Fellowship with the San Francisco Opera.  She went on to sing many productions there that include Falstaff, Manon, Il Ritorno di Ulisse, Il turco in Italia, and in their opera tours in the leading role of La Cenerentola.

She has worked with many international and regional companies that include the Spoleto Festival, Wexford Festival, Scottish Opera, New York City Opera, Washington National Opera and Nederlandse Opera. She was well- known for her Rossini heroines, and now is in demand as one of our most respected singing actresses- appearing in the past few seasons as Mrs. Lovett(Sweeney Todd) for the Princeton Festival, the Old Prioress ( Dialogue of the Carmelites) for Arizona Opera, Marquise(Le file du Regiment) for Kentucky Opera, Old Woman (Candide) and Zita ( Gianni Schicci)  for Opera Saratoga, Berta (Il barbiere di Siviglia) for Florentine and New York City Opera, Katisha ( The Mikado) for Opera Festival of NJ, Fliipevna  ( Eugene Onegin )for Tulsa Opera , Ruth ( The Pirates of Penzance) for Chautauqua Opera, Aunt March ( Little Women) for Ft. Worth Opera ,and the in the title role of Orfeo with Opera Memphis. She has sung Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro) for Utah Opera and will reprise the role this spring for Ft. Worth Opera’s 2012 festival season..

Miss Cowdrick sang the role of Julia Child in Hoiby’s opera Bon Appetit for Child’s induction into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 2007-an opera recently recorded for Albany Records. She can be heard on the 1984 Grammy- award winning album of Antony and Cleopatra recorded live at the Spoleto Festival and Jenufa from Carnegie Hall on Gramaphone Bis with the Opera Orchestra of New York.

She is one of those rare singers that continues be an active performer while teaching. She is on the voice faculty of the Eastman School of Music and recently sang the title role in The Medium with the Eastman Opera Theatre. She is a yearly adjudicator for Classical Singer Magazine’s vocal competition and gives master classes to the Young Artist Programs on Vocal Health and Performance Pedagogy. This summer  she will join the faculty of the Taos Opera Institute.