Fiona McAndrew, soprano

Described as “outstanding for vocal colour, agility and panache” (The Sunday Telegraph), Fiona McAndrew is a “full lyric soprano with a dazzling high coloratura” (The Independent). She combines deeply intelligent musical ability with great theatrical integrity, specializing in contemporary repertoire.  She has been praised for her “expressive radiance” and “endearing appeal” (The Irish Independent) on stage.

In 2009, she made her debut at the Semperoper, Dresden in Lehnhoff’s production of Dead Man Walking (Heggie) as Sr Rose.  She sang the title role in Daugherty’s Jackie O for Teatro Comunale, Bologna. This performance was released on commercial DVD in 2009 worldwide (Dynamic label). For Wexford Opera Festival she sang the role of Anne Sexton in Susa’s Transformations (Best Opera, Irish Times Theatre Award). She sang hoher sopran in Reich’s Tehillim with Dresdner Sinfoniker and created new roles in Belgium, Ireland and the USA.

Equally at home in conventional repertoire, her roles have included Lucia, Lucia di Lammermoor for Lyric Opera San Antonio, Texas; Marie,  La Fille du Regiment for English Touring Opera;  Fiordiligi, Cosi fan Tutte for Opera Holland Park, London, title role in Martha for Castleward Opera, N.Ireland and Woglinde, Das Rheingold for Covent Garden Festival. In Ireland she sang Violetta La Traviata for Lyric Opera and Sr Rose Dead Man Walking for Opera Ireland.

Fiona is also a libretto writer and is currently working on a new music theatre piece with Irish composer John Buckley. She returns to the Semperoper for further performances in 2012.

She won a scholarship to the prestigious Opera Course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London where she received numerous awards including the Sybil Tutton Prize, Countess of Munster Award, Wingate Scholarship and Peter Moores Scholarship to the Rossini Opera Festival, Pesaro.  She holds a first class honours degree in psychology from the University of Western Australia. Fiona is putting the skills she learned here and as a singer into developing a select portfolio of clients in politics, media and vocal arts with whom she works as a vocal consultant.