Kelley O'Connor

Mezzo Soprano Kelley O’Connor is known for a commanding intensity on stage and the ability to create sheer magic in her interpretations. She has performed with Houston Symphony in John Adams’ El Niño (David Robertson), Peter Lieberson’s Neruda Songs with New World Symphony (Stéphane Denève), Omaha Symphony (Ankush Bahl), and Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (Johannes Fritzsch).  
    
Last season, Kelley O’Connor was the Alto Soloist in performances of Mahler’s Second Symphony with Nashville Symphony and with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.  She joined Jaap van Zweden and New York Philharmonic to open the renovated David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center in a gala performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Other performances include National Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, and Tuscon Symphony Orchestra.  She performed Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with St. Louis Symphony, New Jersey Symphony in Mahler’s Third Symphony, and made her debut with Taiwan Philharmonic in Berlioz’s Roméo et Juliette.  With Sir Donald Runnicles, Kelley O’Connor gave the world premiere of a new work by the Syrian-American composer, Kareem Roustom, at Grand Teton Music Festival and John Corigliano’s One Sweet Morning with Peter Oundjian and Colorado Music Festival.
    
John Adams wrote the title role of The Gospel According to the Other Mary for Kelley O’Connor and she has performed the work, both in concert and in the Peter Sellars fully staged production, under the batons of John Adams, Gustavo Dudamel, Grant Gershon, Gianandrea Noseda, Sir Simon Rattle, and David Robertson.  
    
Sought after by many of the most heralded composers of the modern day, Kelley O’Connor has given the world premieres of Joby Talbot’s A Sheen of Dew on Flowers with Britten Sinfonia and Bryce Dessner’s Voy a Dormir with Robert Spano leading Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Carnegie Hall, as well as Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra led by Jaime Martín.
                
Operatic highlights include the title role of Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia presented by Boston Lyric Opera in a new production by Broadway theater director Sarna Lapine conducted by David Angus, Carmen with Los Angeles Opera conducted by James Conlon, Donizetti’s Anna Bolena at the Lyric Opera of Chicago conducted by Patrick Summers and directed by Kevin Newbury, Madama Butterfly in a new production by Lillian Groag at the Boston Lyric Opera and at the Cincinnati Opera under the baton of Ramón Tebar, Berlioz’s Béatrice et Bénédict at Opera Boston, Falstaff with the Santa Fe Opera, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Canadian Opera Company.