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Kayleigh Decker

Mezzo-soprano

  • Praised for her 'shimmering mezzo-soprano' and a voice of 'pure vocal gold', American mezzo-soprano Kayleigh Decker is quickly garnering an international reputation for her artistry and versatility in opera and on the concert platform.


    In the 2023/24 season Decker makes her house debut for Welsh National Opera as Dorabella in a new production of Mozart Così fan tutte conducted by Tomáš Hanus, returns to Cincinnati Opera for staged performances of Paul McCartney Liverpool Oratorio and covers Angelina in Rossini La Cenerentola for Boston Lyric Opera.

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  • On the concert platform Decker makes debuts with the San Francisco Symphony and Orchestre de Paris for Stravinsky Les noces conducted by Esa Pekka Salonen, Mozart Requiem with the orchestra of Welsh National Opera conducted by Tomáš Hanus, Handel Messiah with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment conducted by Mogens Dahl and makes her debut with the Grant Park Music Festival for Mahler Symphony No. 8. A keen recitalist, Decker performs with Soka University, the Cincinnati Song Initiative and the Pacific Vocal Series.


    Next season Decker returns to Lyric Opera Chicago in her professional debut as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, makes her house and role debut with Opera de Monte Carlo and covers Cherubino in her house debut for The Metropolitan Opera. On the concert platform Decker returns to Chicago for performances of Handel Messiah.


    Recent highlights have included her house and role debut as Dorabella in Mozart Così fan tutte for Dallas Opera, Ruggiero Handel Alcina with Les Violons du Roy conducted by Jonathan Cohen, her role debut as Isolier in Rossini Le comte Ory for Lyric Opera Chicago, described as 'The finest overall performance of the afternoon' by the Chicago Classical Review, as well returning to Cincinnati Opera in her role debut as Alisa in Donizetti Lucia di Lammermoor and Kate Pinkerton in Puccini Madama Butterfly.


    As an ensemble member of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Decker’s roles included her debut as Second Cretan Woman in Mozart Idomeneo, Kate Pinkerton in Puccini Madama Butterfly and a number of notable cover roles, including Le Prince Charmant in Massenet Cendrillon, Rosina in Rossini The Barber of Seville, Laura in Verdi Luisa Miller and Donna Elvira in Mozart Don Giovanni conducted by James Gaffigan.


    A passionate song interpreter, she was named one of Caramoor’s 2018 Schwab Vocal Rising Stars and was a participant in the inaugural season of Renée Fleming’s SongStudio at Carnegie Hall. She has given recitals produced by the Cincinnati Song Initiative, Pelican Hill recital series and recently performed a solo recital at Carnegie Hall and the Chicago Cultural Center.

    In 2019, Decker was the recipient of three prestigious scholarships: the Luminarts Fellowship, first place in the Musicians Club of Women Scholarship Competition, and a Sara Tucker Study Grant from the Richard Tucker Foundation. Further accolades include first place in the Three Arts Scholarship Fund Competition and The Macdowell Society Scholarship Award in Cincinnati, second place in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions-Great Lakes Region, first place in the CCM Corbett Competition, and the Encouragement award in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions-Cincinnati District in 2016.


    Decker was a young artist at the Glimmerglass Festival, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and the Utah Festival Opera. Other training programs include the Houston Grand Opera Young Artists Vocal Academy, and Oberlin in Italy. She also participated in the first of Joyce DiDonato’s Masterclass Series at Carnegie Hall, streamed live on Medici.tv.

    2023/24 season / 575 words. Not to be altered without permission

Performances

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'Every note that Decker, the possessor of a shimmering mezzo-soprano, sang was pure vocal gold.'

Seenandheard.com

'The finest overall performance of the afternoon was delivered by Kayleigh Decker in the trousers role of Isolier. The tall mezzo-soprano, a Ryan Center alum, sang with easy fluency and even tone, wholly embodying the energy and adolescent swagger of the page who is besotted with Adèle.'

Chicago Classical Review

Intermusica represents Kayleigh Decker

Natasha Worsley
Senior Artist Manager, Vocal & Opera
+44 (0) 7870 979 794
nworsley@intermusica.com

Billie Allin
Assistant Artist Manager, Vocal & Opera
+44 20 7608 9903
ballin@intermusica.com

All artists

Chansonnier

HK Gruber

Counter-tenor

Tim Mead

Harpsichord

Richard Egarr

Piano accompanist

Roger Vignoles

Saxophone

Jess Gillam

Contralto

Avery Amereau