Bio

Irish soprano Franzita Whelan makes her Seattle Opera debut with these performances as Donna Anna, a role she has sung previously with Opera Colorado and Garsington Opera. In the UK, her roles have included Third Norn in Wagner’s Götterdämmerung for English National Opera; Donna Elvira, Pamina in Mozart’s Zauberflöte, and the title role in Beethoven’s Leonore (an early version of Fidelio) for Welsh National Opera. For Opera Ireland, Whelan has appeared as the title role of Janacek’s Káta Kabanová, Mrs. Foran in Turnage’s Silver Tassie, Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen, the Third Norn, Woglinde, and Gerhilde in Wagner’s Ring des Nibelungen, and the title role in Janacek’s Jenufa. Whelan made her U.S. debut as Euridice in Gluck’s Orphée et Eurdice for Opera Colorado. She also has sung Leonore in Fidelio for Opera Theatre Company in Dublin.