Irish Soprano Kelli-Ann Masterson is an alumna of both the ABL Irish National Opera Studio 2019-2021 and Northern Ireland Opera Studio 2018-2019. She is a current Cara O’ Sullivan Associate Artist with Cork Opera House.

2023/2024 engagements include Pamina in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and Micaëla in Peter Brooke’s La tragédie de Carmen for Cork Opera House, Elsie Maynard in The Yeomen of the Guard at Buxton Opera House for the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company UK, Elena in the world premiere of Elena e Gerardo for Random Opera Company in Rugby, Warwickshire UK, Breathwork for Irish National Opera at Dublin Theatre Festival, Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion with the National Symphony Orchestra and a solo recital at the National Concert Hall as part of the Bernadette Greevy Recital Series.

Performance highlights in 2022/2023 season include Semele in Handel’s Semele for Opera Collective Ireland (Irish Times Best Opera Award 2022), Norina in Don Pasquale in an Irish nationwide tour with Irish National Opera, Sharon Graham/Soprano 2 in Terence McNally’s Masterclass at Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, Handel’s Messiah with the National Concert Orchestra at National Concert Hall and guest soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra in their summer concert series at the National Concert Hall. Kelli-Ann was a finalist in the 2022 BA Lirica International Vocal Competition, Italy and the 2022 recipient of the Bernadette Greevy Bursary from the National Concert Hall. 

Kelli-Ann made her solo operatic debut as Vespetta in the Irish premiere of Pimpinone at Killaloe Chamber music Festival conducted by Peter Whelen for Opera Collective Ireland in 2019. In the same year Kelli-Ann was awarded the Wexford Festival Opera Healy bursary, the WFO & PwC Emerging Artist Bursary, first prize in the Dramatic Cup and Margaret and Tony Quigley Awards at Feis Ceoil and was selected as a Rising Star by UCH Limerick. 

Kelli-Ann made her Wexford Festival Opera debut in 2019 singing the role of La Fée in Viardot’s Cendrillon and was praised for her ‘essentially sparkling performance’. In the same year she created the role of Donal in the world premiere of Raymond Deane’s Vagabones for Opera Collective Ireland. Other notable roles include Irene Buckley’s Ghost Apples for the critically acclaimed 20 Shots of Opera, Rebecca in A Thing I Cannot Name by Amanda Feery, Marzelinne in Fidelio (Irish National Opera); Duchess/Bottle in Todd’s Alice in Wonderland (Opera Collective Ireland); Amor in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice (Blackwater Valley Opera Festival); Alice Cover in Barry’s Alice’s Adventures Underground (INO/Royal Opera House); Chloé in Offenbach’s Daphnis et Chloé (Northern Ireland Opera); Despina in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte (Clyde Opera Group).

In Autumn 2019, Kelli-Ann made her debut with the RTE Concert Orchestra as soloist with Our Lady’s Choral Society performing Messe Solemnelle at National Concert Hall, Dublin conducted by Proinnsias O’ Duinn. Other oratorio engagements include A Celebration of Handel with Our Lady’s choral society, Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Mozart’s Mass in C Minor, Mozart’s Requiem, Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion, Bach’s St. John’s Passion, Handel’s Messiah, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Faure’s Requiem and Saint-Saëns Oratorio de Noël.

A versatile performer, concert and recital highlights include The French Connection: Franco-Irish Songs with Irish Songmakers in conjunction with BVOF, live-streamed Baroque concert from Castletown House for Irish National Opera, soloist at the AIMS 50th Anniversary Concert at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, outreach performances with the National Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company at Norwich Theatre Royal and most recently as a guest soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra at their summer concert series which was broadcast live on RTE Lyric FM.  

Kelli-Ann completed a Bachelor of Music Education Degree at Trinity College, Dublin followed by a Masters in Music Performance at The DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, now TU Dublin Conservatoire.