Kathy Pyeatt

Recent reviews describe her singing as possessing a "richness and elegance…attuned to every harmonic and emotional nuance" (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), her stage persona as "A genuine triple threat" (Chicago Tribune) and her voice as "warm and luscious" (Springfield News-leader). Her recent role debut of Constanza in The Abduction from the Seraglio with the Skylight Opera Theatre earned her spectacular critical acclaim, leading the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel to name her "Vocalist of the Year" in their annual Top 10 List for the Performing Arts.

The 2006-07 season includes performances of Dama di Lady Macbeth in Macbeth with the Florentine Opera and a return to the Skylight Opera Theatre as the Mother in Hansel and Gretel. Kathy will also make her debut with the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra in Verdi's Requiem and will be returning to the Festival City Symphony for Mahler’s Fourth Symphony, and to the Menomonee Falls Symphony as the soloist for Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 and as the soprano soloist for the US Premier of Jenkin’s The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace.

Last season featured several orchestral debuts including the Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brasilieras #5 with the Manitowoc Symphony, soloist for the Mozart Tribute concert with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra, Poulenc's Gloria with the Bel Canto Chorus and also the Kenosha Symphony, Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the Bel Canto Chorus, soloist for the Reach for the Stars concert with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony, Mozart’s Requiem with the Fond du Lac Oratorio Society, Bach's B minor Mass with the Racine Symphony Orchestra, soloist for the US premier of Ali-Sade's Three Watercolors with Present Music, and Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Concord Chamber Orchestra. Additionally, she portrayed the High Priestess in Aida with the Florentine Opera Company, Josephine in HMS Pinafore for her debut with The Muddy River Opera Company in Quincy, IL, and sang a Captivating Classics recital benefiting Hurricane Katrina victims in Springfield, Missouri.

One of her more exciting moments was the opportunity to work with world renown composer William Bolcom on his new opera, Idiot's Delight, co-commissioned by the New York City Opera, Florentine Opera Company and Prince Music Theatre of Philadelphia. Ms. Pyeatt premiered selected works from the opera with Mr. Bolcolm at the piano at the Pabst Theatre in Milwaukee.

Kathy has appeared with regional opera companies throughout North America, including The Florentine Opera, Skylight Opera Theatre, Natchez Opera Festival, Opera Company of North Carolina, Light Opera Works, Springfield Regional Opera, Opera Theatre North, DuPage Opera Theatre, Chicago City Opera, Chamber Theatre, Pamiro Opera, First Stage Milwaukee, and The Milwaukee Opera. Favorite past roles include, Violetta (La Traviata), Micaela (Carmen), Fiordiligi (Cosi Fan Tutte), Hanna (The Merry Widow), Ilona (Gypsy Love), The Queen of the Night and The First Lady (The Magic Flute), Sybil Vane (The Picture of Dorian Gray), and Adina (The Elixir of Love).

Ms. Pyeatt's many concert and recital performances include appearances in Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. Her wide ranging repertoire includes performances of Mozart's Exsultate, jubilate with the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra, Samuel Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with the Festival City Symphony, Verdi's Requiem with the SMSU Symphony, Mendelssohn's Elijah with the University Heights Choir and Orchestra, Bach's B minor Mass with the Bach Chamber Orchestra and Handel's Messiah with the Southwest Florida Symphony, Waukesha Choral Union and Menomonee Falls Symphony.

A successful crossover artist, Kathy's regional theatre credits include Alma in The Christmas Schooner, Sharon in Master Class, Mrs. Nordstrom in A Little Night Music, Laurie in Oklahoma, Hope in Anything GoesAnnie, Antonia in The Man from La Mancha, The Maid in the American premier of The Nightingale, and the leading female role in the world premier of Broadway Romance.

Ms. Pyeatt has been a top prize winner in numerous competitions, including the District and Regional levels of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the MacAllister Awards and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She is currently serving as Co-Director for the Wisconsin District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, is the Director of the Wisconsin Joint Auditions Project and is on the Board of Directors for SOS, Supporters of Opera Singers, Inc., a nonprofit arts organization aimed at promoting and supporting young opera singers. Kathy’s newest adventure took her to North Carolina to serve as the Education Consultant for the Opera Company of North Carolina in the development of their new Educational Outreach and Young Artist Program. Kathy currently resides in Wisconsin along with her husband, Dan Kerkman, 3 year-old daughter Emma, and her two chocolate labs, Hershey and Nestle.

www.KathyPyeatt.com