Celine Byrne

INTRODUCTION

Celine Byrne is a lyric soprano from Ireland, recognized nationally and internationally as one of opera’s leading stars. Described by Opera Magazine as having ‘fine lyrical quality and a touching actor,’ she has earned widespread acclaim and prestigious prizes for her vocal and dramatic artistry.

RECENT AND FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS

Recently Celine performed the title role in Madama Butterfly at the Bregenzer Festspiele (2022), Opéra National de Bordeaux (2022), and Opera Ballet Vlaanderen (2024), Die Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier (2023) and Mimi in La bohème (2023) at the Irish National Opera, and Mimi in La bohème at the Luzern Theater (2024).

Most recent and future engagements include the title role in Madama Butterfly and Liù in Turandot at the Irish National Opera, the title role in Tosca at the St. Margarethen Festival, Oper am Steinbruch, a role debut as Giorgietta/Il tabarro at Deutsche Oper am Rhein, and a cover of Marschallin/Der Rosenkavalier at the Zürich Opera House. On the concert scene, projects include the concert Video Games in Music with Bamberger Symphoniker in Bamberg and at Concertgebouw Amsterdam, as well as with Noord Nederlands Orkest on tour in Netherlands, concerts with Jose Carreras and Andrea Bocelli around Europe, a USA tour with Barry Douglas and Camerata Ireland (including a Carnegie Hall recital), concerts in the USA with composer and conductor Éimear Noone, and a St. Patrick’s Day concert at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

BIOGRAPHY

Celine Byrne received her Master’s in Music from the Royal Irish Academy of Music, where she studied with Dr. Veronica Dunne, receiving the RIAM award for outstanding achievement. In addition, she has an honors Music Degree from the Conservatory of Music and Drama, Dublin, where she was awarded the college Gold Medal for excellence. She also received coaching at the National Opera Studio of London and studied with Christa Ludwig at the Vienna Staatsoper.

Celine was awarded many prizes in completion including the prestigious Maria Callas Grand Prix Prize in Athens, where she won First Prize and Gold Medal. Other awards include the Margaret Burke-Sheridan Gold Medal, the William Young Prize at the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition, Dublin, and the First Prize at the IVC International Singing Competition in s’Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands.

Celine made her operatic début in 2010, singing Mimi in La bohéme. In 2012, she made her Royal Opera House Covent Garden debut in the lead role of Dvořák’s Rusalka, which she took over at short notice. Soon afterward, she was invited back to sing 1 Blumenmädchen in Parsifal, followed by Micaela in Carmen and, most recently, Liu in Turandot.

Roles in recent years include Liu in Turandot in Oper im Steinbruch directed by Thaddeus Strassberger with Giuseppe Finz conducting and Mimi in La Bohéme with Irish National Opera. Previous roles include Magda in Puccini’s La Rondine with Minnesota Opera, Donna Elvira with Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv conducted by Daniel Oren and directed by Kasper Holten, Floria Tosca (Tosca) Mikhailovsky Opera, St. Petersburg, Liu (Turandot) and Elizabeth (Don Carlo) in Leipzig and Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Düsseldorf and Madama Butterfly with Staatstheater Kassel and Irish National Opera, Die Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier in Santiago and Marietta/Marie in Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt with RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in the NCH, Dublin and Mimi (La bohéme) with Hamburg State Opera.

A frequent concert performer, Celine has performed with world-renowned tenors José Carreras, Roberto Alagna, and Joseph Calleja and recently sung with Bryn Terfel accompanied by the Borusan Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sasha Goetzel. Recent concerts include Richard Strauss’ Vier Letzte Lieder in Austria, a recording of Verdi’s Requiem with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by André Lenard, and a concert with the Sun Valley Summer Symphony in America.