Sarah Dufresne
soprano
Raised in beautiful Niagara Falls, and currently based in London, U.K., Canadian soprano Sarah Dufresne is known for her clarity of tone, rapid coloratura, and diverse repertoire. Recently praised for her vocal technique and ease on the stage, Sarah is building her national and international career with debuts with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Toledo Symphony as well as in both Cadogan and Wigmore halls as an associate artist of The Mozartists. This season also marks her second year as an artist in Royal Opera House’s Jette Parker Program, appearing on stage at Covent Garden in Bizet’s Carmen (Frasquita), Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’amore (Giannetta), and Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel (Dew Fairy), as well as various cover assignments. The summer of 2023 saw Sarah’s debut with Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal for Orff’s Carmina Burana with Rafael Payare.
For the 22/23 season, Sarah debuted on the stage of Covent Garden to great acclaim in her roles as Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), Lucia (The Rape of Lucretia), Der Hirt (Tannhäuser), Voce dal Cielo (Don Carlo), Barbarina (Le nozze di Figaro), and Tusnelda (Arminio). She had the great pleasure of working under the batons of Antonio Pappano, Joana Mallwitz, Bertrand de Billy, Maxim Emelyanychev, and Sebastian Weigle, and the direction of Sir David McVicar, Oliver Mears, and Tim Albery.
Sarah was awarded the top prize of Stingray Music Rising Star in the 2019 l’Opéra de Montréal talent gala. That same year, Sarah was an award winner at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (Buffalo/Toronto District) and earned the prestigious Jacqueline Desmarais Grant for Young Canadian Opera Singers.
