+++
date = "2018-09-23T15:39:00-04:00"
discipline = "Soprano"
lastmod = "2018-09-23T15:39:00-04:00"
primary_image = "https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1537731298274/Press_Photo.jpg.jpg"
primary_image_credit = "Devon Cass"
publishDate = "2018-09-23T15:39:00-04:00"
related_companies = ["scene/companies/portland-opera.md","scene/companies/sarasota-opera.md","scene/companies/arizona-opera.md","scene/companies/utah-opera.md","scene/companies/odyssey-opera.md"]
slug = "kara-shay-thomson"
title = "Kara Shay Thomson"
website = "http://karashaythomson.com/"
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platform = "Facebook"
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url = "https://www.facebook.com/KaraShayThomson/?fref=ts"
[[social_media]]
platform = "Twitter"
template = "social-media"
url = "https://twitter.com/TheKaraShay"
+++

Recognized for the natural beauty of her voice and her sense of dramatic insight, American soprano Kara Shay Thomson is proving herself a versatile and essential artist on the operatic and concert stages. *Opera News* writes, "Kara Shay Thomson gave an elegant performance as Leonore in *Fidelio*, a welcome foray into Beethoven’s only opera. Thomson, known for her *Tosca* with Sarasota and other regional companies, was a galvanizing vocal presence right from 'Komm, Hoffnung,' spontaneous and powerful in her Act I aria to faithful married love." 

Kara Shay Thomson returned to the Berkshire Choral in the summer of 2017 as concert soloist in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2. In the 2017-18 season, Ms. Thomson was the title role in *Tosca* with Arizona Opera, Marta in *Tiefland* by Eugene d’Albert with Sarasota Opera, and returned to Dayton Opera as the title role in *Turandot* and Magda Sorel in *The Consul*. Upcoming engagements in the 2018-19 season include the title role in *Turandot* in a return to Sarasota Opera, the title role in *Salome* with Dayton Opera, and the title role in Gounod's *La Reine de Saba* (*The Queen of Sheba*) with Odyssey Opera. 

Her engagements in the 2016-17 season included her first performance of Agathe in *Der Freischütz* with Virginia Opera, Tosca with Intermountain Opera Bozeman, joining Lyric Opera of Chicago for its production of Berlioz’ *Les Troyens*, and performing in a New Year’s Eve concert with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. In the 2015-16 season, she made her Utah Opera debut as Tosca, and returned to Sarasota Opera as Leonore and as guest soloist in an all-Verdi concert.

Ms. Thomson’s recent engagements included returns to Sarasota Opera, Kentucky Opera, and Dayton Opera as Tosca; Kentucky Opera as Leonore; Florida Grand Opera as Magda Sorel in Menotti’s *The Consul*; and to Cincinnati’s Matinée Musicale in recital. She debuted as Tosca with Atlanta Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and Portland Opera; sang Judith in a concert version of Bartok’s *Bluebeard’s Castle* with New Millennium Orchestra of Chicago; Sieglinde in a staged presentation of Act I of *Die Walküre* with Dayton Opera; Santuzza in *Cavalleria rusticana* with Opera Delaware; and Judith with Opera Omaha.  

Other recent successes included performing The Woman in Schoenberg’s *Erwartung* in a return to New York City Opera; Santuzza, Tosca, and the title role in Barber’s *Vanessa* with Sarasota Opera; Santuzza with Kentucky Opera; Tosca with Central City Opera and Santa Fe Opera; Zemfira in Rachmaninoff’s *Aleko* with Cincinnati May Festival; Donna Anna in *Don Giovanni* with Opera North; The Marschallin in excerpts from *Der Rosenkavalier* with Quad City Symphony; Marietta in *Die tote Stadt* with Washington, DC’s Summer Opera Theatre Company; and Female Chorus in *The Rape of Lucretia* with Chicago Opera Theater.  

Concert engagements have included Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with National Chorale at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall; soloist in Dvořák’s *Te Deum* and a recital with Cincinnati May Festival; Rachmaninoff’s *The Bells* at Ravinia Festival under James Conlon; Strauss’ *Vier letzte Lieder* with Amherst Symphony; and a Wagner Concert with the Wagner Society of Washington, DC.
