Artist Roster

Biography

Few artists are as respected for their dual artistry and industry acumen as mezzo-soprano Dorothy Byrne, who brings a full rich tone with great agility and power, along with the skills of a consummate actress to each role she portrays. This past season, she made her international debut with the Wexford Festival in Ireland and subsequently joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera, covering the role of Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro. Additionally, Dorothy was recently honored by a Grammy nomination for her portray of Leda/Mrs. Traxell in Glimmerglass Opera’s recording of Bennett’s The Mines of Sulphur.

She continues her commitment both onstage and off, as a recognized lecturer for top companies and training programs around the world. For her unique combination of talent and expertise she has been profiled by Opera News, and served as a master class technician for McGill University, Boston Lyric Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, and San Francisco Opera’s prestigious Merola Program.

Engagements for the 2010-2011 season included her return to Hawaii Opera Theatre for Martha in Faust and the Metropolitan Opera to cover Getrude in Roméo et Juliette. She joined the Wolf Trap Opera Company for the premiere of the new John Musto/Mark Campbell opera, The Inspector in the spring of 2011, and will reprise the role with the Boston Lyric Opera in 2011-2012.  Additionally she returns to Virginia Opera as Katisha in The Mikado and Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro. In the summer of 2010 Dorothy returned to Opera Theater of St. Louis as The Marquise in The Daughter of the Regiment, role she will reprise with Tulsa Opera in 2012.

Dorothy has appeared in numerous productions with Lyric Opera of Chicago including Mrs. McLean in Susannah, Mrs. Olsen in Street Scene, The Mayor’s Wife in Jenůfa, Gertrude in Romeo et Juliette, and The Monitor in Suor Angelica.

Other significant appearances include Houston Grand Opera as Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro; Minnesota Opera as Jezibaba in Rusalka and Cecilia March in Little Women; Florida Grand Opera as Lydia in Anna Karenina, Boston Lyric Opera as Larina in Eugene Onegin, The Marquise in La fille du Regiment, and as Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus; Glimmerglass Opera as Mme. Follenvie in the world premiere of The Greater Good, Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance, and Clementine in Bluebeard; Opera Theatre of St. Louis as Gertrude in Hamlet, Susanna in The Ghosts of Versailles, Venus and Dorilla in Arianna, and Emilia in Othello; Lyric Opera of Kansas City as Katisha in The Mikado; Hawaii Opera Theatre as Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Nicklausse and Le Voix de Mere in Les contes d’Hoffmann, The Page in Salome, Fillipyevna in Eugene Onegin and Emilia in Otello; Des Moines Metro Opera as The Secretary in The Consul and Public Opinion in Orpheus in the Underworld; Kentucky Opera as Cecelia March in Little Women and Mrs. Ott in Susannah; and, Chicago Opera Theater as Ma Moss in The Tenderland and Zita in Gianni Schicchi and Buoso’s Ghost.

Her concert performances have included Strauss’ Die Fledermaus with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Handel’s Messiah with the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra, Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Wheaton Conservatory of Music, Verdi’s Requiem with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, where she appeared in the world-premiere of Hanson’s Hiawatha.