ADA Artist Management & Representation

Biography

Soprano Katherine Jolly returned to New York City Opera in 2010 for performances as Laoula in L’Etoile following her company debut as the Fairy Godmother in Cendrillon.  A winner of the 2006 Metropolitan Opera National Council Grand Finals, the New York Times wrote “Katherine Jolly used her agile, bright lyric soprano to superb effect in showpieces from Mozart’s ‘Entfuhrung aus dem Serail’ and ‘Ariadne auf Naxos.’” Ms. Jolly also returned to the Met last spring to workshop the company’s production of Enchanted Island, and was featured with City Opera’s VOX series for new composers. In 2011-2012, continuing her work with new opera, Katherine will be part of workshops with Opera Theater of St. Louis and American Lyric Theater, later one with composer Mark Adamo.  Engagements for 2010-2011 include, Annika in Brundibar with the Phoenix Symphony, Handel’s Messiah with the Richmond Symphony, Josephine Baker with the American Lyric Theatre, and recitals with Randolph College and the Philadelphia Voice Foundation.  In upcoming seasons Ms. Jolly will be seen with Virginia Opera as Yum-Yum in The Mikado and with Opera Theater of St. Louis in Joseph’s Boots.

A bright, young, accomplished singer on the opera and concert stages Ms. Jolly received the William B. McMillan Award from Opera Theatre St Louis, where she was a Gerdine Young Artist for the 2005-2006 season. Ms. Jolly has been seen with Opera Theatre St. Louis as the Dew Fairy in Hansel and Gretel and Yum-Yum in The Mikado. Ms Jolly recently made her debut with Florida Grand Opera as Blondchen in their production of Die Entführung aus dem Serail. In the 2007-2008 season made her debut with New York City Opera as the Fairy Godmother in Cendrillon, and sang Adele in Piedmont Opera’s Die Fledermaus. Other operatic roles include Zerbinetta in Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos, Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia, Giannetta in L’elisir d’amore, The Queen in Menotti’s The Bride from Pluto, Saphir in Patience, The Real Angel in Weill’s The Tzar Has His Photograph Taken and the title roles in Barab’s Little Red Riding Hood and Richard Brook’s Rapunzel. Ms. Jolly made her European debut as Morgana in Handel’s Alcina with Opera Theatre Lucca in 2000 and performed throughout Tuscany singing recitals of Italian music.

In the concert arena Ms. Jolly performed most recently as the soprano soloist in Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Florida Northwest Symphony Orchestra, under Demetrius Fuller. Of her performance of Mozart’s Mass in C and Exultate Jubilate with the Choral Society, the Sacramento Gazette wrote, “a classic vocal instrument which soared beautifully to the highest notes in the piece.” Other recent oratorio performances include the Messiah, Bach’s St. John’s Passion and Honneger’s King David with the Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble under Dr. Earl Rivers. Katherine is an avid performer of 20th century works and has appeared as a frequent guest soloist with the acclaimed ARC Chamber Ensemble of Cincinnati. Past performances have included Dalla Piccola’s Tre Poemi and the U.S. premiere of Samuel Rodriguez’s Teocuitlacoztic. Additionally, the soprano has sung in several world premieres including Kenneth Frisell’s Motions of Stone at the Isabella Gardner Museum, in Boston, under Dr. Ann Howard Jones

In addition to her recent Metropolitan Opera National Council Award Ms. Jolly has been the recipient of many awards including the 2005 MacAllister Career Grant, second place in the Annapolis Opera Competition, first place in the 2005 Southern Illinois Young Artist Competition and the winner of the 2004 Metropolitan Opera Saint Louis District Auditions. In the spring of 2005, she was chosen to sing for the national conference of the National Association of Negro Musicians, with acclaimed pianist Joseph Joubert, in honor of Grace Bumbry. Ms. Jolly completed her Master’s of Music from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, in 2001, where she was an Albert Yates Scholar. The soprano graduated summa cum laude from Boston University College of Fine Arts in 1999, where she received the Ellalou Dimmock Vocal Excellence Award.