Originally from South Australia, soprano Karina Bailey now lives in Austria where she is a full-time member of the Hauschor at the Landestheater Linz. She regularly appears in small roles with the company; in recent seasons she has played the roles of Barbarina in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Manja in Kálmán’s Gräfin Mariza, una donna in Handel’s Rinaldo, and Brautjungfer in Der Freischütz, each production providing the opportunity to work with the renowned Bruckner Orchester Linz.

During the pandemic years Karina sang with Opera Australia in Sydney. There she appeared in the chorus throughout multiple seasons, and also played a soprano adaptation of the roles Angelina and Tisbe in the company’s touring production of Rossini’s La Cenerentola.

Karina completed her Master of Music (Opera School) at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland under the tutelage of Kathleen McKellar Ferguson. Before commencing her studies in the UK, she had already made her mainstage debut as Papagena (The Magic Flute) in her home town with the State Opera of South Australia, and was a member of their Young Artist Program for two years. With the State company she also played the roles of Elaine (Cloudstreet) and Ida (Die Fledermaus) as well as covering the roles of Bubba (Summer of the Seventeenth Doll), Adele (Die Fledermaus) and Norina (Don Pasquale). She made her UK professional debut as Sylviane and Lolo in The Merry Widow with Opera Bohemia.

Further role highlights of recent years include Lucia (The Rape of Lucretia), Elle (La voix humaine), Jazz Trio (Trouble in Tahiti), Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Servilia (La clemenza di Tito), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel), Pamina (The Magic Flute), Peep-Bo (The Mikado) and Anne (A Little Night Music). She was engaged to perform the role of Sœur Constance (Dialogues des Carmélites) (performances cancelled due to the pandemic).

Karina has appeared as the soprano soloist in a number of oratorio works in Australia and the UK. Highlights include Haydn’s Mass in Bb Major, Mendelssohn’s Psalm 42, Handel’s Messiah, Fauré’s Requiem, Mozart’s Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Schubert’s Mass in A flat and Hayden’s Theresienmesse.

Competition acclaims include first prize in the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Aria Competition Finals 2022, after winning third place in 2020 and the Conductor’s Award in 2018. She was a finalist for the Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship 2022, and won the MTO Developing Artist Grant (Runner up in the German-Australian Opera Grant) in 2020. She has appeared twice as a finalist in the Ye Cronies Opera Award in Glasgow, was also a past winner of the Dawn Wallace Memorial Prize, 5MBS Young Virtuoso Competition Vocal Section and the Arnold Matters Scholarship Competition.

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