Caitlin McKechney, mezzo-soprano
 
Caitlin McKechney is a rising operatic talent with a rich mezzo timbre and passionate sense musicality. She has performed with companies such as Sarasota Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Cedar Rapids Opera Theater and Chicago’s own Opera Play-House and Chicago Opera Vanguard in its acclaimed production of Greek by Mark-Anthony Turnage. Some of her opera credits include the title role in Massenet’s Cendrillon, The Mother in Stravinsky’s Mavra, Nancy in Britten’s Albert Herring, Meg Page in Verdi’s Falstaff and Lilli Vanessi/Katherine in Kiss Me Kate, a role for which she was hailed by Chicago’s Steadstyle review as “…a divine Lilli/Katherine, hurling herself into the demanding physical comedy like a heavyweight contender.” An advocate for music education, Caitlin has been seen in a number of outreach productions including Little Red’s Most Unusual Day with Cedar Rapids Opera Theater, in which she played Granny, the Witch/Mother in Hansel and Gretel with Opera Play-House, as well as Carmen in scenes from Bizet’s masterpiece with Opera Santa Barbara. Caitlin’s next outreach project with be as Dinah in Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti with Opera Play-House. Caitlin’s passion for contemporary music and her classical training have often come together in performing the works of contemporary composers such as Sam Krahn and Eric V. Hachikian. She has also been featured in concerts of the works of Charles Ives with pianist Mark Bilyeu, as well as Dominik Argento’s Pulitzer Prize winning cycle, “From the Diary of Virginia Woolf”, with pianist Shannon McGinnis. Also a painter, Caitlin often features her musical interests in her paintings, and has shown her works based on the operas Carmen and Madame Butterfly at Gallery 1633 in Chicago and has set of paintings to accompany her recital of Argento’s work. caitlin.mckechney@gmail.com