KATHLEEN SHELTON
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR and CO-FOUNDER
Kathleen Shelton has been described by critics as an “alluring Mezzo Soprano, not to be missed.” She possesses both “lyrical beauty and warm caramel tones,” while priding herself on presenting “emotionally charged” performances.Ms. Shelton, a Texas native, currently resides in New York City. She has performed and concertized with opera companies and music festivals all over the United States including: City Lyric Opera, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, St. Petersburg Opera, Sarasota Opera, Princeton Festival, North Shore Music Festival, Light Opera New Jersey, Western Plains Opera, Mississippi Opera,
Amore Opera and Natchez Festival of Music. In her first ever Wagner role, Flosshilde in Das Rheingold, Ms. Shelton was called, “vocally astonishing.” When she received a last minute call to go on for an ailing colleague, a reviewer called her “a natural on stage, with perfect facial expressions…knowing the role inside and out”(OperaPronto) of her performance as Dorabella (Così fan tutte) at Sarasota Opera. Her Maddalena(Rigoletto) with Amore Opera was described as, “sexy, seductive, and a pleasure to hear”(Taminophile).
Shelton has worked as a Vocal Instructor, Lecturer and Director. Her former students are currently singing on Broadway (King Kong, A Bronx Tale) and in National Tours (Freaky Friday, Flashdance). In addition to teaching young professionals she has enjoyed educating audiences on opera and musical theatre through a summer lecture series at The Music Shop’s Music Theatre Academy. While in Graduate School at Florida State University, she began directing her colleagues in concerts devoted to scene work and went on to become Artistic Director of the New Jersey Vocal Summer Intensive.
Actively and always a student to the great art of performance, Kathleen regularly attends Improv (UCB), Musical Improv (Magnet) and Acting classes (HB Studios). She is currently working on an autobiographical one woman cabaret. Her mission is to explore how we tell our own stories to most powerfully transport and excite audiences.
Ms. Shelton holds a Bachelor’s of Music from The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor(TX) and a Master’s of Music from Florida State University.