Dazzling coloratura and an unflinching dramatic commitment to the eclectic roles she brings to life, Brenda Rae continues to triumph on the world’s leading stages.

This season marks her long-awaited return Oper Frankfurt as Lulu in Nadja Loschky’s new production conducted by Thomas Guggeis, as well as Aminta in Jan Philipp Gloger’s new production of Die schweigsame Frau for Staatsoper Unter den Linder under Christian Thielemann. Elsewhere, Brenda returns to the role of Gilda in Rigoletto both for Deutsche Oper Berlin under Michele Spotti, and Opernhaus Zürich conducted by Andrea Sanguineti.

Recent European highlights include Brenda Rae’s return to the Bayerische Staatsoper as the title role in Claus Guth’s new production of Semele conducted by Gianluca Capuano, swiftly followed by Konstanze (Die Entführung aus dem Serail) under Ivor Bolton, and Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos) on tour to Hong Kong. In Paris, Brenda returned to the Opéra Bastille for two productions, as Lucia di Lammermoor under Aziz Shokhakimov and Ophelia (Hamlet) conducted by Pierre Dumoussaud. In Vienna, Rae continued her reign as the Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte) at the Wiener Staatsoper under Alexander Soddy and returned as Norina (Don Pasquale) conducted by Frédéric Chaslin and latterly as Amina (La Sonnambula) under Giacomo Sagripanti to rapturous critical acclaim.

As a former member of the ensemble of Oper Frankfurt, Brenda Rae amassed an impressive repertoire including Elvira (I puritani), Violetta (La traviata), Zdenka (Arabella), and Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos) which has since become one of her most celebrated roles, leading to house debuts at Staatsoper Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. Elsewhere, Rae debuted in William Kentridge’s production at English National Opera as Lulu, Opéra national de Paris as Anne Trulove (The Rake’s Progress), and Glyndebourne Festival as Armida (Rinaldo), which was part of the BBC Proms and released on DVD by Opus Arte. More recent seasons have brought debuts for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and Salzburg Festival, respectively, as the Queen of the Night, as well as her critically acclaimed return to Teatro Real Madrid as the title role in Christopher Alden’s new production of Partenope under Ivor Bolton.

Brenda Rae made her US operatic stage debut at the 2013 Santa Fe Opera Festival as Violetta and has since returned as Norina (Don Pasquale), both Mme Vladimirescu and Mme Herz (The Impresario), Cunegonde (Candide) and Lucia. Brenda’s continued collaboration with Harry Bicket has brought her house debut at Lyric Opera of Chicago as Ginevra (Ariodante), and performances as Semele on tour with The English Concert to London, Paris and New York. At the Metropolitan Opera, Brenda returned as both Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos) conducted by Marek Janowski and Ophelia (Brett Dean’s Hamlet) under Nicholas Carter, which received unanimous praise from the international press.  

An experienced recitalist, Brenda is a regular guest at the celebrated Schubertiade in Schwarzenberg and at Wigmore Hall in London where she returned recently with a programme of Schubert and Strauss accompanied by Jonathan Ware. Brenda Rae appears on several recordings including Wagner’s Die Feen and Ariadne auf Naxos (both on Oehms Classics), Milhaud’s The Oresteia of Aeschylus (Naxos, nominated for a Grammy award), Lowell Liebermann’s Little Heaven (Albany Records) and Offenbach’s Fantasio released by Opera Rara.