Kristen Darragh mezzo soprano

Kristen Darragh was awarded a Foundation grant to attend the 2008 Solti Te Kanawa Accademia di Bel Canto summer school in Tuscany.  She subsequently graduated from the Opera Course at the Royal Academy of Music  in London, where she was awarded a Karaviotis Scholarship and received the Kobler Award. Kristen has performed regularly on the concert platform in the United Kingdom, most notably as the soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria and Mozart’s Requiem at London’s St Martin-in-the-Fields. In 2009 she was a finalist in the Lexus Song Quest, was invited to sing Carmen with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and the role of Olga for The NBR New Zealand Opera’s production of Eugene Onegin. On receiving her Foundation grant Kristen wrote: “ I am so delighted to have this amazing opportunity – and eagerly await working with Dame Kiri and Frederica Von Stade on the Italian Bel Canto repertoire in such an inspiring environment. As I come to the end of my time as a student at the Royal Academy of Music I feel very grateful for the support I have received”.