Kristin Darragh is a New Zealand born contralto, her voice described by Opernglas as one of ‘breathtakingly beautiful depth and formidable penetrating power.’ Performances highlights last season included her return to the New Zealand Opera stage as Marcellina in Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and the Alto solo in Brahms Alto Rhapsody with Orchestra Wellington.
At home on the concert platform, Kristin is a regular soloist with New Zealand’s orchestras; recent performances include the Alto soloist with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, The Christchurch Symphony orchestra and Opus Orchestra. Upcoming engagements include The Angel in Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius with Auckland Choral, and her debut with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as Grimgerde in Die Walküre with Simone Young.
Kristin was engaged as a full time soloist at Theater Lüneburg, Germany. Whilst based in Europe she returned home regularly as a principal artist for New Zealand Opera. Her roles included Siebel (Faust), Olga (Eugene Onegin), Amastre (Xerses), Maddalena (Rigoletto), Suzuki (Madame Butterfly) Third Lady (Magic Flute) and Mercedes ( Carmen). Other operatic experience includes Erda (Das Rheingold), La Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica), Grimgerde (Die Walküre), Baba The Turk (The Rake’s Progress), Stewardess (Flight), Florence Pike (Albert Herring), Zita (Gianni Schicchi) and the title role in Britten’s Rape of Lucretia.
Kristin trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London and has a Masters degree in Performance Voice. Her awards have included the Tower AIMES award for outstanding achievement in Music and the New Zealand Opera Circle100 Scholarship. Kristin is now a member of the Circle100 committee, and is very involved in the mentoring and training of New Zealand’s young singers at the highest level She is Director of Vocal Performance at the University of Waikato and she also works a professional voice actor.