Sarah Curtis

Sarah Kathryn Curtis is a captivating mezzo-soprano lauded for her rich, expressive voice and compelling stage presence. A native of Kansas City, Sarah holds a Doctoral and Master degrees from the University of Kansas, where she studied with renowned mezzo-soprano Joyce Castle. She also holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Simpson College. Her emerging career has taken her across the United States, with engagements from prestigious companies including Portland Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, and Central City Opera.

During the spring season of 2024, Sarah was the mezzo-soprano troupe member for Opera Iowa’s educational outreach tour. Over the span of ten weeks, the troupe performed for over 25,000 school children and community members. In addition to performing in operas and recitals, she taught workshops for ages 5-12 and masterclasses for middle school, high school, and college students. Sarah will return for DMMO’s summer season, covering Geneviève (Pélleas et Mellisande) and the Page (Salome).

Sarah’s diverse repertoire spans iconic operatic roles and a variety of other vocal literature. Favorite past roles of hers include Carmen, Zita (Gianni Schicchi), Giulio Cesare, and Jo March (Little Women). For her doctoral research, Sarah presented a lecture recital on the vocal music of German-American composer Kurt Weill. A passion for contemporary music allowed her to sing in the premiere of Bonnie McLarty’s Snow Angel with the KU Orchestra as well as premieres on several other student-led programs.

Most recently, Sarah was named as a recipient of the Harriet Hale Woolley Scholarship for 2024-2025. During her time in Paris, she will study at the École Normale de Musique de Paris and focus her research on the art songs of French female composers.