Described in the London Times as “the superb Carolyn Dobbin”, this Northern Irish mezzo-soprano trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and on the Young Artist Programme of OTC in Dublin.In opera, she has worked with companies including Dorset Opera, English Touring Opera. Castleward Opera, Mid Wales Opera, Opera Della Luna, Opera Holland Park, OTC (Dublin), The Opera Group, Raymond Gubbay Ltd and Scottish Opera, her repertoire including Chloe/ All That Money Can Buy, the title role in Carmen, Alisa / Lucia di Lammermoor, Miss Catchall / Vera of Las Vegas, Bradamante / Alcina, Teodata / Flavio, Lisetta/ Il mondo della luna, Dorabella / Così fan tutte, Second Lady / The Magic Flute, Nicklaus / The Tales of Hoffmann, First Witch/ Dido and Aeneas, Concepcion / L’heure espagnole, Orlofsky / Die Fledermaus, Meg Page / Falstaff and Maddalena / Rigoletto.
Selected by Sir David Willcocks for Messiah at London’s Royal Albert Hall, she sang Janacek’s The Diary of One Who Disappeared at the Bath International Festival 2009 with Paul Nilon and Joanna MacGregor. Conductors with whom she has worked in opera and concert include Stephen Barlow, Nicholas Cleobury, Christian Curnyn, Richard Egarr, Jane Glover, Paul Hillier, Simon Ible, Stephen Kovachevich, Sir Charles Mackerras, Takuo Yuasa and Thomas Zehetmair, including appearances with the City of London Sinfonia, Guildford Philarmonic Orchestra, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, the Northern Sinfonia, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Orquesta Sinfónica de Radio Televisión Española, the Royal Philarmonic Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Ten Tors Chamber Orchestra and the Ulster Orchestra. Her broadcasts include Così fan tutte for BBC Radio 3 and her recordings include Lynne Plowman’s Cries Like Silence with the London Mozart Players conducted by Nicolae Moldoveanu on Avie CD.
During 2010, Carolyn Dobbin was a WNO Associate Artist and the recipient of the WNO Chris Ball Bursary and the Sir John Moores Award, singing Mercédès / Carmenand Second Lady / The Magic Flute, as well as covering the title role in Carmen and Maddalena / Rigoletto. Other recent and current engagements include Janet / The Doctor’s Tale for ROH2, Scipio / Caligula and Hannah/ The Passenger for English National Opera, Andronico / Tamerlano for Capella Cracoviensis, Meg Page / Falstaff for Opera Holland Park, Emilia / Otello for Dorset Opera, Maddalena/ Rigoletto for Grange Park Britten Spring Symphony with the Midland Festival Orchestra, Messiah with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Mozart Requiem at London’s Royal Festival Hall and Classical Spectacular 2011 for Raymond Gubbay Ltd at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
During 2012 / 2013, Carolyn Dobbin will be a member of the Lucerne Theatre, where her roles will include Penelope / Il ritorno d’Ulisse, Annio / La clemenza di Tito, Tisbe / La cenerentola and Flora Bervoix/ La traviata
Please note that this biography is not to be used for programmes. Current information is available on request.