Catherine Carby

Mezzo Soprano

Currently residing in London, leading Australian mezzo soprano, Catherine Carby, has performed with major opera companies including the English National Opera as Kate Pinkerton (Madame Butterfly), Scottish Opera as Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier), British Youth Opera in the title role of Britten’s Rape of Lucretia at the Queen Elizabeth Hall (subsequently issued on CD), Opera Australia (including OzOpera), Victoria State Opera and Opera Queensland.

For Opera Australia Catherine has sung in roles which include Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier), the title role in Carmen, Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Romeo (I Capuleti e i Montecchi), Hippolyta (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus), Baba the Turk (The Rake’s Progress), for which she won a Helpmann Award, Mallika (Lakmé), Ruth (The Pirates of Penzance), Maddalena (Rigoletto), Cornelia (Giulio Cesare), for which she received a Green Room Award, Ruggiero (Alcina), Kristina (The Makropulos Affair), Heavenly Being and Madam By-Ends (The Pilgrim’s Progress), Suzuki (Madame Butterfly), Second Lady (Magic Flute) and Auntie (Peter Grimes).

International concert and recital engagements have included a Verdi concert with the Hallé Orchestra under Mark Elder, a solo recital at St James’ Piccadilly, Flora in Albinoni’s Il Nascimento dell’Aurora for Spitalfields Festival, concert performances of The Marriage of Figaro for London Mozart Players, Vitige in Flavio and the title role in Muzio Scevola for the London Handel Festival, Berlioz’s L’Enfance du Christ and Bach’s St Matthew Passion at Southwark Cathedral, Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde for Cambridge University Music and the Gardner Chamber Orchestra in Boston, Bach’s B Minor Mass at Exeter Cathedral.

In Australasia, Catherine has also performed Nicklausse (The Tales of Hoffmann) for West Australian Opera, Mozart’s Requiem, Haydn’s Nelson Mass and in the Superdome Spectacular with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Elgar’s Sea Pictures with the Queensland and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras, Haydn’s Missa in Tempore Belli with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Haydn’s Arianna auf Naxos with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and at Opera Australia’s New Year’s Eve Gala Concert and Opera Under The Stars in Broome.

Since relocating to the United Kingdom to live Catherine’s roles have included Voice from Above (Die Frau ohne Schatten conducted by Semyon Bychkov), Sister Mathilde (Dialogue of the Carmelites with Sir Simon Rattle conducting), and 2nd Maid (Elektra) all at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden; Ramiro (La finta giardiniera ) for Buxton Festival; Arsace (Partenope) for Opera Australia for which she received a Green Room Award nomination, Romeo (I Capuleti e i Montechi) at Southbank Centre with Chelsea Opera Group; Aurelio (L’Assiedo di Calais) for English Touring Opera, and Brangäne (Tristan und Isolde) for Longborough Festival Opera. She has also covered significant roles including Sesto (La clemenza di Tito) for Opera North; and Brangane and Ariadne (Birtwistle’sThe Minotaur) for the Royal Opera House.

During this time Catherine’s concert appearances have included Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier) in concert performances with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and Paul Daniel, an Opera Gala in the Théâtre de Vals les bains, Messiah for the Three Choirs Festival, Gloucester, Magnificat (CPE Bach) with the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra, Supernatural Songs (Taverner) with the City of London Sinfonia, Beethoven Symphony No. 9 with the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Ulster Orchestra and Mozart Mass in C for the Polski Chór Kameralny as well as an Opera Gala with the Royal Northern Sinfonia.

Catherine Carby studied at the Canberra School of Music and the Royal College of Music, London, and was a finalist in several major competitions including the Kathleen Ferrier Award, the Richard Tauber Award and the Young Concert Artists Trust.