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Niamh O’Sullivan

Mezzo-soprano

  • Irish mezzo-soprano Niamh O’Sullivan is a rapidly rising star on the international stage, praised as being ‘the owner of one of the most sheerly beautiful lyric mezzos…in some time' (Opera Traveller). In the last seasons and beyond O’Sullivan makes a series of high profile debuts in Europe and the United States.


    Highlights of the 2025-26 season include her role debut in the title role of Bizet's Carmen for English National Opera, her US and role debut as Offred in Ruders' The Handmaid’s Tale for Detroit Opera, alongside house debuts for Garsington Opera and Rossweisse in Wagner's Die Walküre at Opéra de Monte-Carlo. 

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  • On the concert platform, O’Sullivan returns to Festival d'Aix-en-Provence for performances as Ninette in Verdi's Les Vêpres siciliennes cond. Daniele Rustioni, makes her debut in a solo concert with Prague Philharmonia, Dvorak's Stabat Mater with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland cond. Jiri Rožeň alongside concerts with the Fantasia Orchestra. A keen recitalist, O’Sullivan will make her debut at LSO St. Luke’s in recital with Thomas Dunford alongside appearances at home in Ireland with regular duo partner, Gary Beecher.


    The 2024/25 season saw O’Sullivan make a series of house and role debuts, including Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier for Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, her performance described by Bachtrack as ‘a discovery, bring[ing] to mind Brigitte Fassbaender’. Also for Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, O’Sullivan created the role of Ino in a new production of Handel's Semele, repeating the role for the Royal Ballet and Opera. Elsewhere her plans included role debuts as Maddalena in Rigoletto and Ursule in Béatrice et Bénédict for Irish National Opera, alongside her BBC Proms debut as Sonyetka in Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk with the BBC Philharmonic cond. John Storgårds and the Page in Strauss' Salome conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano in her London Symphony Orchestra debut. A 2023-2025 BBC New Generation Artist, O'Sullivan's plans included gala concerts with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales cond. Nil Venditti, Chausson's Poème de l’Amour et de la Mer with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and her Wigmore Hall recital debut.


    Operatic highlights have included Wellgunde in Wagner's Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung,  Mercédès in Carmen & Meg Page in Verdi's Falstaff  for Opernhaus Zürich, Wellgunde in a new Barrie Kosky production of Das Rheingold at the Royal Ballet & Opera and Mercédès in Carmen for English National Opera. Previously a member of the Opera Studio at the Bayerische Staatsoper, O’Sullivan’s roles included Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel, Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, the Secretary in Menotti's The Consul, Flora in La traviata, Barena in Jenůfa and a concert performance of Der Rosenkavalier at Carnegie Hall conducted by Kirill Petrenko.


    O’Sullivan’s close association with Irish National Opera has seen her sing Charlotte in Massenet's Werther, Mercédès in Carmen, Tisbe in Rossini's La Cenerentola, Third Maid in Strauss' Elektra, Asteria in Vivaldi's Bajazet and Alva in the world premiere of Dennehy's The First Child for the company.


    Highlights on the concert platform include Elgar's Sea Pictures at the Prinzregententheater for the Munich Festspiele, Second Harlot in Handel's Solomon on tour with the English Concert cond. Harry Bicket, Mozart's Requiem and Handel's Messiah with the MüncherHofkantorei, Cain in Scarlatti's Il primo omicidio with the Jakobsplatz Orchester cond. Daniel Grossmann, Cousser's The Applause of Mount Parnassus at Wigmore Hall with Ensemble Marsyas cond. Peter Whelan, Handel's Messiah with the Ulster Orchestra and Mahler Symphony No.2 with the Irish National Symphony Orchestra cond. Anja Bihlmaier.


    A 2023-2025 BBC New Generation Artist, O’Sullivan was a participant of the Académie du Festival d’Aix-en-Provence in 2023 and studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin.

    2025/26 season - 604 words. Not to be altered without permission.

Performances

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O’Sullivan is the owner of one of the most sheerly beautiful lyric mezzos I’ve had the pleasure of hearing in some time.  The voice has wonderful sheen, with a ruby red exterior enveloping a creamy core.  The tessitura of the role held no terrors for her, taking wing effortlessly on top.

Opera Traveller, May 2025

Niamh O'Sullivan's Octavian is a discovery, it is reminiscent of Brigitte Fassbaender in the ambiguity of the timbre as well as the port.

Bachtrack, May 2025

Fringent, ardent, youthful, the Knight of Niamh O’Sullivan’s magnificent timbre and accomplished vocal technique, develops ardour with incandescent treble...

Lemonde.fr, May 2025

Intermusica represents Niamh O’Sullivan worldwide.

Natasha Worsley
Associate Director, 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

Contralto

Avery Amereau

Actor / Narrator

Amira Casar

Chansonnier

HK Gruber

Harpsichord

Richard Egarr

Piano accompanist

Roger Vignoles