KRISTEN WATSON

Soprano Kristen Watson, hailed by critics for her “blithe and silvery” tone (Boston Globe) and “striking poise” (Opera News) has made solo appearances with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, American Classical Orchestra, Mark Morris Dance Group, Handel & Haydn Society, Boston Baroque and A Far Cry at such venues as Walt Disney Concert Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall and Boston’s Symphony Hall. Opera audiences have heard Ms. Watson in productions with Boston Lyric Opera, Opera New England, Opera Boston, Opera Providence, Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, Intermezzo Opera, Five College Opera and Boston University Opera Institute in such roles as Anne Trulove in The Rake’s Progress, Tytania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Voice of the Fountain in Osvaldo Golijov’s Ainadamar directed by Peter Sellars. A versatile crossover artist, Ms. Watson has made several solo appearances with the Boston Pops under Keith Lockhart, performed as a featured soprano alongside Greek tenor Mario Frangoulis, and shared the stage with veteran actress Shirley Jones in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel.

Ms. Watson has received particular acclaim for her interpretations of Baroque repertoire, performing as soloist for the San Francisco Early Music Society, Trinity Wall Street, Boston Early Music Festival, Upper Valley Baroque, Sarasa, Aston Magna Festival, Arcadia Players, Handel Society of Dartmouth, Blue Hill Bach Festival, White Mountain Bach Festival, Columbus Bach Ensemble and Ars Antiqua. She also performs regularly as a soloist with Emmanuel Music, including their recent appearance at the 2024 Bachfest in Leipzig, Germany. Praised for her “keen musicianship, agility and seamless control” (San Antonio Express), Ms. Watson has been recognized by the Concert Artists Guild, Oratorio Society of New York, Joy in Singing, American Bach Society, and Louisville Bach Society competitions and was awarded both the Virginia Best Adams Fellowship at the Carmel Bach Festival and the Lorraine Hunt Lieberson Fellowship with Emmanuel Music.

Additional solo performances include the North Carolina Symphony, Masterwork Chorus of New Jersey, Duke Chapel Choir, Albany Pro Musica, Gulf Coast Symphony, Topeka Symphony, Cactus Pear Music Festival, Napa Valley Youth Symphony, Evansville Philharmonic and the Pittsburgh Camerata, as well as frequent appearances with New England-based organizations such as the Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Cape Symphony, Cape Ann Symphony, Chorus Pro Musica, Masterworks Chorale, Melrose Symphony Orchestra, Mistral Music, Music Worcester, New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, Newton Choral Society, Plymouth Philharmonic, Providence Singers, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Spectrum Singers, and the Walden Chamber Players. An advocate of contemporary music, she has recently premiered works by composers such as Alex Berko, Julian Grant, Eric Sawyer, Su Lian Tan and Francine Trester.