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

Kelli-Ann’s many recent engagements include Norina Don Pasquale and Marzelline Fidelio (both for Irish National Opera) and the title role in an award-winning production of Semele for Opera Collective Ireland, with her 2025 appearances including Gretel Hänsel und Gretel at Cork Opera House, Yum-Yum The Mikado for Opera Della Luna, Belinda Dido & Aeneas with the Irish Baroque Orchestra at Blackwater Valley Opera Festival, Phyllis Iolanthe with the National G&S Company at Buxton Opera House and, in concert, Frasquita Carmen and Yum-Yum The Mikado in both Ireland and the UK.

Kelli-Ann’s current and future plans include her debut for English Touring Opera as Casilda The Gondoliers touring the UK in spring 2026, and a return to the National Concert Hall, Dublin as soprano soloist for Bach’s Christmas Oratorio.

Her many other operatic roles include Vespetta in Telemann’s Pimpinone and Duchess/Bottle in Will Todd’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland for Opera Collective Ireland, Sharon Graham Masterclass Smock Alley Theatre, Elsie The Yeomen of the Guard, Casilda The Gondoliers and Lady Pysche Princess Ida with the National G&S Opera Company at the Buxton International Festival, Pamina Die Zauberflöte and Micaëla in Peter Brook’s La tragédie de Carmen at Cork Opera House, Elena in Marianna Bottini’s Elena e Gerardo for Random Opera Company, Amor Orfeo ed Euridice at the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival and La Fée in Viardot’s Cendrillon at Wexford Festival Opera.

An avid performer of contemporary Irish music, Kelli-Ann created the role of Donal O Dare for the world premiere of Vagabones by Raymond Deane for Opera Collective Ireland, featured in the critically acclaimed 20 shots of Opera with Irish National Opera and was Cover Alice for Gerald Barry’s Alice’s Adventures Underground a Co-production between Irish National Opera and Royal Opera House. Further contemporary engagements include Breathwork by Ena Brennan at Dublin Theatre Festival in conjunction with Irish National Opera, Carbon Women by Aine Mallon for Our Place in Space in conjunction with Dumbworld in Belfast, the role of Rebecca in Amanda Feery’s A thing I cannot name for Irish National Opera and the recent premiere of the piece Moving House by Anselm McDonnell, a song commissioned for Kelli-Ann by the National Concert Hall Dublin.

A regular oratorio soloist, Kelli-Ann’s many performances include Bach St Matthew Passion with the National Symphony Orchestra in Dublin, Bach St John Passion with the Dublin Bach singers, Handel Messiah with the Ulster Orchestra/Christian Curnyn and, most recently, Mozart Mass in C Minor with the RTE Concert Orchestra.

A versatile performer, concert and recital highlights include the sold-out Soprano in Hollywood concert at the National Concert Hall (a programme from the Golden Age of Hollywood Movie Musicals), a concert tour in Singapore in conjunction with Blackwater Valley Opera festival, the 2023 opera gala in Cork Opera House in conjunction with Irish National Opera, guest soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra at their summer concert series which was broadcast live on RTE Lyric FM and soloist for the Irish National Day of Commemoration with the Defence Forces at Royal Hospital Kilmainham broadcast live on RTE

A multi-prize winner, Kelli-Ann was the 2022 recipient of the Bernadette Greevy bursary from the National Concert Hall, Dublin and was a finalist in the 2022 BA Lirica International Voice Competition, Italy. Other accolades include first prize in the Dramatic Cup at Feis Ceoil, Dublin and both the PwC bursary for an emerging Irish artist and the Liam Healy bursary at Wexford Festival Opera. Kelli-Ann is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin (BMus.Ed.) and TU Dublin, formerly DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama (MMus).