Lucy Macfarlane

After winning the McDonald’s Operatic Aria in the 1990s, New Zealand-born soprano Lucy MacFarlane joined Opera Australia as a Young Artist then became a Principal Artist two years later.

She continued her studies in Italy before accepting a position with Staatstheater Cottbus in Germany as a Jugenliche Dramatische Sopran. There, she sang Elisabeth in Tannhäuser, Ellen Orford in Peter Grimes and the title role in Madama Butterfly.

Basing herself in Berlin for the next decade, Lucy performed many of the leading dramatic soprano roles in the repertory throughout Europe – Cio-Cio-San, Sieglinde (Die Walküre), Amelia (Un ballo in Maschera), Abagaille (Nabucco), Amelia (Simon Boccanegra) and the title roles in Tosca, Turandot and Ariadne auf Naxos.

Concert appearances included the sopranos solos in Verdi’s Requiem and Brahms’ Requiem; Lucy was also a frequent guest at the European Summer Festivals.