Katherine Allen Mezzo Soprano
Winner of the Ysgoloriaeth W. Towyn Roberts at the National Eisteddfod, Katherine Allen read Music and English Literature at Cardiff University, before furthering her studies on the Royal Academy Opera course with Beatrice Unsworth and Clara Taylor. Her other awards include the Laura Ashley Award, Llais Llwyfan Lambed, Sir Geraint Evans Prize, the Michael Head Prize for English Song and the MOCSA Young Welsh Singer of the Year Award. She has participated in the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme, studying Brahms and Schumann Songs with Robert Holl, the Wexford Festival Opera Artists’ Development Programme with Dennis O’Neill and the Sommer Lied Weinberg with Roger Vignoles. Katherine Allen has also undertaken masterclasses with Sally Burgess, Mary King, Ann Murray, Malcolm Martineau, and Robert Tear. She graduated with her DipRAM in July 2006.
 
As a member of Welsh National Youth Opera, her roles included the title-role in Carmen, Dido Dido and Aeneas and Olga Eugene Onegin. At the RAM, her roles have included the title role in Rinaldo, Dorothée Cendrillon, Don Ramiro La finta giardiniera and Second Boy Die Zauberflöte conducted by Sir Colin Davis.
 
Recent engagements have included Second Lady Die Zauberflöte for the Oxford Philomusica, the Christmas Oratorio in Chichester Cathedral, the Maria-Theresa Mass at Birmingham Cathedral, the Paukenmesse at Dartington Hall and Dido Dido and Aeneas at the Petersfield Festival as well as recitals in the Crush Bar of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, at the Swansea Festival and at the Wales Millennium Centre.
 
Highlights of 2006 / 2007 include Suzuki Madama Butterfly (Cover) and Annina Der Rosenkavalier (Cover) for Scottish Opera, Essential Scottish Opera on tour, the C.P.E. Bach Magnificat for the Ten Tors Orchestra, the Duruflé Requiem at the Harlton Festival, Messiah in Llandaff Cathedral, recitals at the Handel House Museum and In Tune for BBC Radio 3. Engagements for 2007 / 2008 currently include Tisbe La cenerentola for Scottish Opera Go Round /Scottish Opera On Tour and the St John Passion at the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham.