Canadian soprano Sarah Dufresne has been celebrated for her “style and elegance” (Bachtrack), “richness of tone… angelic high notes and admirable control” (ArtsDesk). Her recent debut as Ophélie in Thomas’ Hamlet with Opéra de Montréal garnered acclaim for her “spellbinding… extraordinary vocal agility” and “superbly honed dramatic” (Bachtrack) performance of the heroine, with critics noting that this debut was, “unlike anything… heard on this stage in twenty-years” (Le Devoir).

Recent seasons defined Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto as one of Sarah’s signature roles, with her celebrated debuts at both Vancouver Opera and Pacific Opera Victoria. She subsequently jumped in to Christopher Alden’s production at the Canadian Opera Company, in what was her “star-making” (Toronto Star) mainstage debut. This spring, Sarah returns to Opéra de Montréal in the same role, marking three consecutive seasons as a “golden-voiced… and luminous” (The Globe & Mail) Gilda.

Recent operatic debuts include Teatro Alla Scala (Frasquita/Bizet’s Carmen), Tiroler Festspiele (Lisa/Bellini’s La sonnambula), and the Ravinia Festival for Blonde in Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Maestro James Conlon. She also returned to The Royal Opera for Barrie Kosky’s new production of Wagner’s Siegfried, under the baton of Antonio Pappano, as the Waldvogel. In the 26/27 season, Sarah joins the ensemble of the Bayerische Staatsoper, for repertoire including Iris in Handel’s Semele, Clorinda in Rossini’s La Cenerentola, Zerlina in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and Frasquita in Carmen, among others.

This season, Ms. Dufresne makes her debut with the New York Philharmonic for Orff’s Carmina Burana, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra for Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, Orchestre Métropolitain for a program of arias, and the symphonies of Seattle and Victoria for Handel’s Messiah. On the concert stage, she recently debuted with Les Violons du Roy for a program of Mozart concert arias, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra for the Fauré’s Requiem, and Orchestre symphonique de Québec for Dvorak’s Stabat Mater.

Additional credits include Semele in Strauss’ Die Liebeder Danae (Bayerische Staatsoper), High Priestess in Verdi’s Aida (Lanaudière Festival), and Yvette/Georgette in Puccini’s La Rondine with the London Symphony Orchestra. The 2025 Summer season saw Sarah debut at the Edinburgh Festival and BBC Proms with the London Symphony Orchestra for Puccini’s Suor Angelica in concert, and a return to both Festival de Lanaudière for Orff’s Carmina Burana and Bayerische Staatsoper to reprise her role in Die Liebeder Danae.

Across Canada, she has appeared with the Winnipeg Symphony, and made her U.S. debut with the Toledo Symphony. In the 2023/2024 season, she appeared as an Associate Artist of London’s The Mozartists, debuting at both Cadogan and Wigmore Hall. Additionally, the summer of 2023 saw Sarah’s debut with Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal for Orff’s Carmina Burana with Rafael Payare.

Ms. Dufresne is an alumna of Opéra de Montréal’s Atelier Lyrique, and The Royal Opera’s Jette Parker Program. She appeared on stage at Covent Garden in Bizet’s Carmen (Frasquita), Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’amore (Giannetta), and Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel (Dew Fairy), Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), Lucia (The Rape of Lucretia), Der Hirt (Tannhäuser), Voce dal Cielo (Don Carlo), Barbarina (Le nozze di Figaro), and Tusnelda (Arminio)., all to much critical acclaim. She had the great pleasure of working under the batons of Joana Mallwitz, Bertrand de Billy, Maxim Emelyanychev, and Sebastian Weigle, and the direction of Sir David McVicar, Oliver Mears, and Tim Albery.

October 2026
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