Christine Lyons is a critically acclaimed operatic soprano based in the United States and Europe. Hailed as a “true virtuosa” (Broadway World), she has been praised for her “power and poise” (Classical Voice America), for her “voice rich in nuances” (Pro Opera), and her “solid coloratura and legato” (Opera News). She has distinguished herself in major houses across the globe in roles such as Adina, Musetta, Micaëla, Donna Anna, Fiordiligi, Countess, Pamina, Juliette, and many others.

 

     This 2024-25 season begins with a Gala performance in New York for the President of the United States, Joe Biden, and the First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden alongside Billy Porter and Alan Cumming. Following this, Lyons takes the stage with Knoxville Opera as Musetta in La bohème and appears as the featured soloist with Lyric Fest in Philadelphia for Nevertheless, She Sang. Additional special Gala performances in Washington, D.C., include the UNHCR Gala, honoring Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and Chef José Andrés; Ball for the Mall, celebrating Dave Grohl, The Mellon Foundation, and director George C. Wolfe; as well as several performances with the Denyce Graves Foundation. Lyons also sings the Anthem at the 25,000-seat Red Bull Arena for the Gotham FC Soccer League.

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     In the 2023-24 season, she joined San Francisco Opera, covering the role of Leonora in Verdi’s Il Trovatore. This marked her return to the esteemed institution, following her noteworthy cover of Cleopatra in the world premiere of John Adams’ Antony and Cleopatra in the preceding season. Steadily gaining recognition for her mastery in the bel canto repertoire, Lyons reprised the role of Alaide in Bellini’s La Straniera and introduced Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia into her repertoire with Teatro Nuovo in New York for the Maria Callas Centenary. Later in the season, Lyons joined OnSite Opera in the role of Lieschen in Bach’s Coffee Cantata and rounded out the season with a successful debut as Puccini’s Tosca with Maryland Lyric Opera, where "her bel canto vocalism remained to the very last high Bb before departing the parapet" (Operawire).

 

      In recent seasons, Lyons took the stage with a focus on Donizetti's masterpieces. She showcased her exemplary talent in the title role of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor with Maryland Opera, earning praise for her compelling performance. She continued to shine as she brought Norina to life in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, where critics celebrated her as "effortlessly brilliant, vivacious, clever, and enjoying the game!" (Broadway World) and noted that she "decked the hall in secure fioriture" (KDHX). Lyons also brought her artistry to Puccini’s Turandot as Liú with Toledo Opera in Celebrazione del Coro. Lyons continued to enjoy a series of successes, highlighted by her debut in the titular role of Handel's Agrippina with Florida Grand Opera. Critics praised her performance for its "grace, powerful presence, and rippling soprano" (Palm Beach Arts) and for bringing her "regal bearing and opulent timbre to Handel’s showpiece solos" (South Florida Classical). Lyons also took on the role of the Governess in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw with IlluminArts Miami, performed in concert with Lyric Fest at The Academy of Vocal Arts contributing to a program of art songs inspired by Emily Dickinson’s poetry, and joined Teatro Nuovo for The Complete Recordings of Giuseppe Verdi. 

 

       In past seasons, Lyons delivered a captivating performance in Bellini’s Norma with Winter Opera St. Louis, earning a nomination for the Outstanding Achievement in Opera award from the St. Louis Theater Circle. She delivered acclaimed performances in the leading roles of Bellini’s La Straniera at Lincoln Center and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at Baltimore Concert Opera. Orchestral engagements included Rossini’s Stabat Mater with Teatro Nuovo and several performances of Mozart’s Exsultate, jubilate with Queens Symphony Orchestra and with St. Veronica Orchestra of New York on Mozart’s birthday. Lyons was also hosted in recital at the Manhattan School of Music by the Art Song Preservation Society of New York. Later that year, she was privileged to join the prestigious Ravinia Steans Institute as a Fellow, singing in several notable masterclasses and enriching art song programs, and later joining them on tour. Other concert highlights include performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Marin Alsop. 

 

      Lyons holds the Grand Prize in the Mary Trueman Art Song Vocal Competition in New York and has garnered top awards from the Gerda Lissner Foundation, Vocal Arts DC Discovery Art Song Competition, Opera Columbus Cooper-Bing International Vocal Competition, New York Lyric Opera National Vocal Competition, Rochester International Vocal Competition, The American Prize for Women in Opera Competition, and Washington International Competition.  She was the featured artist on “Celebrating Our Musical Future” with WWFM Classical Radio, and her artistry has been celebrated in esteemed publications such as Opera News, New York Classical Review, Musical America Worldwide, Opera Magazine (London), Bachtrack, and The New York Times.