No stranger to contemporary opera and rarely performed works, Kara Shay jumped in at the last minute for the role of Marietta/Marie in Opera Colorado’s highly acclaimed production of Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt.  Thomson flourished in the portrayal of The Woman in Schoenberg’s Erwartung with New York City Opera. She embodied the role of Magda in Menotti’s The Consul with Dayton Opera and Florida Grand Opera, as Judith in Bluebeard’s Castle with Opera Omaha and New Millennium Orchestra of Chicago. Kara Shay recently appeared at the Newport Festival of Music where she gave an elegant interpretation of the Henze vocal, wind and string ensemble setting of Wagner’s Wesendonk Lieder. 

Concert highlights include soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Mass in C Major, Mahler's Symphony No. 8, Rachmaninoff’s The Bells, Dvořák’s Te Deum, and Rachmaninoff’s Zemfira in Aleko. Additional concert works include Knoxville, Summer of 1915, Mozart Requiem, Mahler’s Symphonies No. 4 and No. 8, R. Strauss’ Vier Letze Lieder and Brahm’s Requiem. Thomson can be heard the U.S. premier of the rarely performed La Reine de Saba by Gounod with Odyssey Opera Orchestra of Boston where “As Balkis, Kara Shay Thomson sang with a plush soprano that flowered beautifully in the upper register…” (Boston Classical Review).

In addition to performing, Thomson has given master classes at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Kennesaw State University, Bethune-Cookman University, Dayton University, University of Denver, Northwest Missouri State University and Pensacola Opera. Kara Shay is committed to sharing her love and experience for opera through her master classes and private studio.