American Soprano, Kara Shay Thomson is proving herself a versatile and essential artist on the operatic and concert stages.

From the first phrases sung by Kara Shay Thomson, a compelling American soprano with a plush, vibrant, powerful voice, you do not know whether to pity or fear her... Ms. Thomson was marvelous.
  - The New York Times

In 2011-12 Kara Shay Thomson returns to Sarasota Opera in the title role of Vanessa, debuts with Opera New Jersey in the title role of Tosca, joins the roster of Santa Fe Opera for its production of Tosca, and sings as soloist with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra in excerpts from Edward Joseph Collins' Daughter of the South. Her engagements in the 2010-11 season included the role of The Woman in Schoenberg's Erwartung in a return to New York City Opera, Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana with Kentucky Opera, the title role in Tosca with Opera on the James, and an appearance as soloist in Dvorák's Te Deum with the Cincinnati May Festival. She also appeared in recital with both the Cincinnati May Festival and Bethune-Cookman University, and in summer of 2011 she sang as soloist in Rachmaninoff's The Bells at Ravinia Festival under James Conlon.

In the 2009-10 season she sang Santuzza with Sarasota Opera, the title role in Tosca with Opera Delaware, returned to New York City Opera for Hugo Weisgall's critically acclaimed Esther, and performed the role of Zemphira in Aleko with the Cincinnati May Festival. In the summer of 2010 she sang Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with Opera North.

In the role of Zemfira, the gypsy who spurns her old lover, Aleko, soprano Kara Shay Thomson was the most exciting debut of the season. She projected an alluring presence and a luxuriant lyric voice that remained smooth all the way to her powerhouse top notes. Her love duet with the Young Gypsy ... was one of the opera's high points.
  - The Cincinnati Enquirer

Other successes include Tosca with Sarasota Opera, Marietta in Die tote Stadt with Summer Opera Theater, Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro with Toledo Opera, Utah Festival Opera and Pensacola Opera, Madama Butterfly with Emerald City Opera and Musetta in La Bohème with Glimmerglass Opera. The success of her debut as Female Chorus in the Rape of Lucretia with Chicago Opera Theater led to her return as Miss Jessel in The Turn of the Screw and as Fortuna in Monteverdi’s Il Coronazione di Poppea

Past engagements include Die tote Stadt at New York City Opera, Adina with DiCapo Opera and Tosca with Central City Opera and Opera North. Additional roles performed include Fiordiligi, Iris, Mimi, Micaela, Regina, Violetta, Arminda, The Daughter in Strawberry Fields, First Lady, and Marietta in the World Stage Premier of Il Padrone.

Equally at home in concert, Miss Thomson has performed Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at Avery Fisher Hall, Barber’s Knoxville, Summer of 1915 with the Muncie Symphony and Mahler’s Fourth Symphony with the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra. Other concert appearances include Mozart’s Requiem, Brahms Requiem, Strauss’ Vier Letzer Lieder, Orff’s Carmina Burana and her Carnegie Hall Debut in Bach’s Magnificat.

Miss Thomson resides in Cincinnati, Ohio and received her Graduate Diploma in Performance from The New England Conservatory of Music.