American Soprano, Kara Shay Thomson is proving herself a versatile and essential artist on the operatic and concert stages.

"Vissi d'arte" began as a plaintive, quiet act of desperation and grew to an ardent, fervent plea that was both luminous and luxurious in sound. In fact, there wasn't a moment in the evening when Thomson came even close to over-singing or pushing. Her enormous voice resonated throughout the house, yet she never abused her abilities and, by passionate restraint, was able to build a character who was, in every sense, a Great Woman.
  - The Longboat Observer

This season, Miss Thomson’s engagements include Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana with Sarasota Opera, the title role in Tosca with Opera Delaware and a return to New York City Opera in Hugo Weisgall’s critically acclaimed Esther.

Recent performances include Tosca with Sarasota Opera, Marietta in Die tote Stadt with Summer Opera Theater, Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro with Toledo Opera, Utah Festival Opera and Pensacola Opera, Madama Butterfly with Emerald City Opera and Musetta in La Bohème with Glimmerglass Opera. The success of her debut as Female Chorus in the Rape of Lucretia with Chicago Opera Theater led to her return as Miss Jessel in The Turn of the Screw and as Fortuna in Monteverdi’s Il Coronazione di Poppea

Other recent engagements include Die tote Stadt at New York City Opera, Adina with DiCapo Opera and Tosca with Central City Opera and Opera North. Additional roles performed include Fiordiligi, Iris, Mimi, Micaela, Regina, Violetta, Arminda, The Daughter in Strawberry Fields, First Lady, and Marietta in the World Stage Premier of Il Padrone.

Equally at home in concert, Miss Thomson has performed Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at Avery Fisher Hall, Barber’s Knoxville, Summer of 1915 with the Muncie Symphony and Mahler’s Fourth Symphony with the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra. Other concert appearances include Mozart’s Requiem, Brahms Requiem, Strauss’ Vier Letzer Lieder, Orff’s Carmina Burana and her Carnegie Hall Debut in Bach’s Magnificat.

Miss Thomson resides in Cincinnati, Ohio and received her Graduate Diploma in Performance from The New England Conservatory of Music.