Olivia Cranwell
Soprano
Olivia Cranwell is a graduate of the Master of Music (Opera Performance) programme from the University of Melbourne, having earlier obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the same institution.
In 2023, she returned to Melbourne Opera in the roles of Helmwige and Third Norn (Der Ring des Nibelungen), to Victorian Opera as Elettra (Idomeneo) and to Opera Australia as Mrs. Naidoo (Satyagraha); for the national company, she also made a stunning début as Sieglinde in their Brisbane season of The Ring. In 2024, Olivia sang Giorgetta (Il tabarro) for both Opera Australia and Victorian Opera; she returns to OA in 2025 as Mimì (La bohème).
In 2020, she worked extensively for the Vienna State Opera – singing Ortlinde (Die Walküre) and covering major roles in Le nozze di Figaro, Madama Butterfly, Das Rheingold, Elektra and Götterdämmerung.
A longstanding favourite at Victorian Opera, Olivia made her début as Gossip in Angelique. Appearances which followed include Sister Jane (Happy End), Vertraute and 4th Maid (Elektra), Rapunzel (Into the Woods), Watkin Wombat/Rooster (The Magic Pudding), Celeste 1 & Waitress (Sunday in the Park with George), Puss (Puss in Boots), Queen Clementine (Sleeping Beauty), Clorinda (La Cenerentola) and many others.
For Opera Australia, she has sung 3rd Norn and Ortlinde (Die Ring des Nibelungen), The Countess (Le nozze di Figaro) and appeared in their tours of Hansel und Gretel, Madama Butterfly, The Magic Flute and By the Light of the Moon.
She also sang Mimì (La bohème) and Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly) for the City of Stonnington and the title role in Carmen for In Good Company.
Olivia’s notable competition successes include runner-up in the 2017 Herald Sun Aria and the 2014 Italian Opera Foundation Awards; she was also recently awarded the Australian Opera Auditions Committee’s Opera Scholarship.