“The best of the opera was mezzo-soprano Carolyn Sproule as Erika. Both vocally and theatrically she gave a flawless performance. Her voice is attractive, and she sings with great expressiveness. Ms. Sproule definitely has a career ahead of her." 

José M. Irurzun, Seen and Heard International



Acclaimed for her "sizeable rich tone and striking presence" (Opera Canada), "whose star is deservedly on the rise" (Opera News), Canadian mezzo-soprano Carolyn Sproule is engaged in the 2020-2021 season to debut at Opera Hong Kong in the title role of Carmen; San Diego Opera as La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi and La Zelatrice  in Suor Angelica; Des Moines Metro Opera as Pauline in Pique Dame, as well as return to the Minnesota Orchestra for Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis conducted by Osmo Vänskä. Ms. Sproule was previously engaged to make house debuts at Pacific Opera Victoria as Carmen in a new production before reprising the role in her return to Houston Grand Opera; the National Arts Centre as the alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah; English National Opera as Dorabella in Così fan Tutte, as well as a return to the Metropolitan Opera for Roberto Devereux.

Ms. Sproule began her 2019-2020 season with a return to Opéra de Montréal as Olga in Eugene Onegin in a Tomer Zvulun production conducted by Guillaume Tournaire; the Metropolitan Opera to sing Dorabella in Phelim McDermott's Coney Island production of Così fan Tutte conducted by Harry Bicket in addition to joining the company for their productions of Pique Dame and The Magic Flute.  
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Highlights of past seasons include a critically acclaimed European debut singing Erika in Samuel Barber's Vanessa at the Wexford Festival for which critics praised her “vocally and theatrically flawless performance”. In her native Canada, Ms. Sproule has sung Maddalena in Rigoletto for her Canadian Opera Company debut in a Chris Alden production, as well as at Vancouver Opera and Opéra de Montréal. She has sung Olga in Eugene Onegin in Vancouver, Montreal, and for her Michigan Opera Theater debut, and last season returned to the Canadian Opera Company as Emilia in David Alden’s production of Otello, conducted by Johannes Debus. 

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Ms. Sproule debuted at The Metropolitan Opera in 2015 as the Sandman in Hansel and Gretel in a Richard Jones production conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, and has since returned singing the Page in Salome, Inez in Il Trovatore, and Dorabella in Così fan Tutte. She has also been on the Metropolitan Opera roster for their productions of Falstaff, Otello, Thais, Eugene Onegin, Le Nozze di Figaro, The Death of Klinghoffer, Manon, Cavalleria Rusticana, Pique Dame, and Magic Flute. Concert highlights include the alto soloist in Handel's Messiah with the Minnesota Orchestra as well as alto soloist in Beethoven's 9th Symphony at the Aspen Music Festival conducted by Robert Spano, and her Roy Thomson Hall debut in their New Year’s Eve gala.                    


As a resident of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, Ms. Sproule sang the roles of Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Maddalena in Rigoletto, Countess Charlotte in A Little Night Music, Mercédès in Carmen, Zulma in L'Italiana in Algeri, Third Lady in The Magic Flute, and Vlasta in the US premiere of The Passenger which she reprised at The Lincoln Center Festival.                                     

Ms. Sproule is a native of Montréal, Canada and is a graduate of The Juilliard School (BM 2010), and Rice University (MM 2012). She also participated in residencies at the Merola Opera Program, Wolf Trap Opera (Filene Young Artist), the Houston Grand Opera Studio, Aspen Opera Theater, and The Banff Centre. She is a winner of a 2019 George London award, the Marcello Giordani memorial prize in the 2019 Premiere Opera Foundation Competition, as well as a recipient of grants from the Jacqueline Desmarais foundation, HGO studio, Wolf Trap Opera, and Merola.