Winner of the 2017 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Main Prize and joint winner of the Song Prize, Scottish mezzo Catriona Morison is the first British artist to win this highly coveted award. Currently a member of the ensemble at Oper Wuppertal, her 2017-18 appearances include Maddalena Rigoletto and Hänsel Hänsel und Gretel. Away from Oper Wuppertal, engagements include an autumn tour of European festivals with MusicAeterna and Teodor Currentzis conducting Mozart Requiem as well as appearances with the BBC Orchestras and at Wigmore Hall.
Last season’s highlights at Oper Wuppertal included Nicklausse Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Clarice The Love of Three Oranges and Maddalena Rigoletto.
Recent successes include the roles of Annina Der Rosenkavalier and Kay in Albrecht’s Die Schneekönigin (The Snow Queen) in the highly lauded 2015 production, both at Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar; Giove/Pisandro Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria for Theater Erfurt, staged performances of Mozart Requiem for Theater Hof and Handel’s Alexander’s Feast for Lithuanian National Opera.
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BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2017
St. David's Hall, Cardiff, June 2017
To secure the prize, Ms. Morison sang selections from Rossini (“Tancredi”), Strauss (“Der Rosenkavalier”), Ravel (“L’Heure Espagnole”) and Purcell (“Dido and Aeneas”) with a silky, lightly smoky tone, easygoing dramatic flair and unflappable poise.
The New York Times, Zachary Woolfe, 19 June 2017
She’s a singer of much character, real musical intelligence
The Guardian, Rian Evans, 19 June 2017
...a rich sounds with some Dame Janet moments. She was at her most impressive in the Song Prize final of two nights earlier, when she shared first place. In Schoenberg and in Lieder, the depth of her engagement with both words and music held one in the moment.
Opera, Rian Evans, 19 June 2017
The Fairy Queen
Oper Wuppertal, January 2017
Amongst the six singers Catriona Morison stood out with wide range achieving a depth of vocal warmth and radiance that otherwise was lacking in the world of Aschemond.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, January 2017
The Love for Three Oranges
Opernhaus Wuppertal, October 2016
Simon Stricker as Leander and Catriona Morison as Complain Clarice give a well-coordinated pair of crooks on an excellent vocal level.
Opernnetz, Pedro Obiera, 29 October 2016
The mezzosopranos Catriona Morison (Clarice) and Chariklia Mavropoulou (Fata Morgana) convince with clear voices...
Westdeutsche Zeitung, Hartmut Sassenhausen, October 2016
Hoffmanns Erzählungen
Oper Wuppertal, September 2016
Catriona Morison is a great discovery, a singer with huge charisma and downright angelically guided mezzo soprano.
Concerti, Andreas Falentin, September 2016
The Scottish mezzo soprano Catriona Morison is justly celebrated as Nicklausse/Voice of Antonia’s mother (as an angel with only one wing), in particular delivering the Violin Aria with a beguiling warmth.
Online Merker, Christoph Zimmermann, September 2016.
Catriona Morison's Opera Repertoire
| BIZET | Carmen (Mèrcédes) |
|---|---|
| BRITTEN | A Midsummer Night's Dream (Hermia) |
| CACCINI | La liberazione di Ruggiero (Melissa)* |
| HUMPERDINK | Hänsel und Gretel (title) |
| MASSENET | Werther (Charlotte) |
| MONTEVERDI | L’incoronazione di Poppea (Nerone) |
| MOZART | Cosi fan tutte (Dorabella) |
| OFFENBACH | Les Contes d'Hoffmann (Nicklausse, La mère d’Antonia) |
| PROKOFIEV | The Love for Three Oranges (Princess Clarice) |
| R. STRAUSS | Rosenkavalier (Annina) |
| VERDI | Rigoletto (Maddalena) |
Roles marked with * are currently in preparation. |
Catriona Morison's Concert Repertoire
| BACH | Christmas Oratorio St Matthew Passion St John Passion Magnificat B Minor Mass |
|---|---|
| BEETHOVEN | Symphony No.9 |
| BLISS | The Enchantress* Mary of Magdala* |
| CHAUSSON | Poème de l'amour et de la mer |
| DURUFLE | Requiem |
| ELGAR | Sea Pictures |
| HANDEL | Dixit Dominus |
| HAYDN | Nelson Mass |
| E.T.A. HOFFMANN | Miserere |
| MAHLER | Des Knaben Wunderhorn Rückert-Lieder |
| MENDELSSOHN | Elijah |
| MOZART | Requiem |
| PERGOLESI | Stabat Mater |
| RAVEL | Shéhérazade |
| ROSSINI | Petite Messe Solennelle |
| SMYTH | Mass in D |
| VAUGHAN WILLIAMS | Serenade to Music |
| VIVALDI | Gloria |
