Colleen Daly

Hailed for her “mezzo-tinted lower register rising to a wonderful warm top," (The Washington Post) American soprano Colleen Daly skillfully balances engagements on both the concert and opera stages. This season, she looks forward to premiering of excerpts from Kverndokk and Wiik’s Babette’s Feast with the Denyce Graves Foundation at the National Gallery of Art and the French Embassy (Washington, D.C.), as well as appearing as Micaëla in Maryland Opera’s mainstage presentation of Carmen.

Recent engagements include Britten’s Turn of the Screw with Opera Baltimore, Mozart’s Così fan tutte with Opera Delaware, Baker’s Wife in Annapolis Opera’s Into the Woods, and joining Baltimore Choral Arts for Carmina Burana. Upcoming this season, she joins the National Philharmonic Chorale (Washington, D.C.) for Beethoven’s C Major Mass, and Annapolis Opera for Cipullo’s Glory Denied.

Widely recognized for her masterful concert performances, in recent seasons she has appeared as the soprano soloist for both Dvořák’s Stabat Mater (Vancouver Symphony) and his Te Deum (Cathedral Choral Society at the Washington National Cathedral), both Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis and Brahms’ Requiem with New York’s Trinity Wall Street, Verdi’s Messa di Requiem with Santa Barbara Symphony and the Bozeman Symphony, Martin’s In Terra Pax with the Grant Park Music Festival, and both Orff’s Carmina Burana and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony with the Washington Chorus at the Kennedy Center. Ms. Daly debuted internationally with the Calgary Philharmonic as Madeline in Philip Glass’ setting of The Fall of the House of Usher and was immediately reengaged for Mahler’s Symphony No. 8. 

Colleen’s extensive experience with the concert repertory includes the Requiems of Mozart, Verdi, Fauré, and Brahms; Mendelssohn’s Elijah; Mahler’s Symphonies No. 2 and No. 8; Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony; Poulenc’s Gloria, Vaughn-Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, Rossini’s Stabat mater, and Gorecki’s Symphony No. 3. 

An avid recitalist, Colleen presents a wide range of repertoire from sacred song to contemporary works. Colleen was named the winner of Vocal Arts DC’s 2014 Discovery Competition, leading to her presentation of a program curated and inspired by the permanent Phillips Collection Works at the Kennedy Center. Highly regarded in Washington, D.C. circles as a go-to soloist, Colleen has performed for governors, ambassadors, and senators across both aisles. She has also been fortunate enough to perform in private engagements with the Irish, Italian, Austrian, Colombian, and Bulgarian embassies, as well as for religious ceremonies and dignitaries from Argentina and Poland.  She has been especially honored to sing for President Joseph R. Biden, Pope Francis, and various members of the Kennedy family.

Equally at home on the operatic stage, recent role credits include the title role in Floyd’s Susannah (Baltimore Concert Opera), Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen (Tulsa Opera), and Countess in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro (Annapolis Opera). An artist passionate about new opera, Colleen has worked with Beth Morrison Projects in their Prototype Festival, Boston New Music Festival, Urban Arias for a workshop of Cipullo’s Glory Denied, and joined White Snake Projects for the world premiere of Rev. 23. Colleen has enjoyed working under the auspices of Des Moines Metro Opera, Intermountain Opera Bozeman, Maryland Opera, Delaware Opera, Washington Concert Opera, and Charlottesville Opera, and has joined both Washington National Opera and New York City Opera as a cover artist. Her engagements have included a wide repertoire of roles ranging from Mozart to contemporary opera and musical theater, with a special affinity for Romantic repertoire.

Other repertoire credits include: Musetta and Mimi in Puccini’s La Bohème; Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni; Leonora in Verdi’s Il trovatore; Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata; Nedda in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, and the title roles of Massenet’s Thaïs and Strauss’ Arabella. Ms. Daly looks forward to flexing her chops in both Russian and Czech, with roles from Eugene Onegin, Iolanta, and Katya Kabanova.

Colleen is an avid educator, in demand as a voice coach and teacher for both classical and music theater repertoire. She is the studio manager of Red Bridge Studios at Historic Savage Mill and has taught at several renowned organizations, including Young People's Summer Stock and Young Artists of America. Ms. Daly’s diverse skills in the arts are also demonstrated in her leadership positions, including serving as the Artistic Director of the St. Louis Church Concert Series. Appointed in 2020, Colleen has shepherded the Series through the past two seasons, programming both digital and in-person events to great acclaim, while supporting her local artistic community during the global pandemic.

August 2024

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