Anna Patterson is a Kansas born Mezzo Soprano. After starting her musical studies on Piano and French Horn, she was quickly enthralled by the combination of words and music through song and theatre. Anna received a Master of Arts in Voice with Distinction from the Royal Academy of Music in 2023 on the Preparatory Opera course- designed for Masters Students to work alongside Royal Academy Opera and its coaches as well as pursuing other artistic ventures in the Recital Hall. While attending the Academy, Anna was a Josephine Baker Trust Artist, was featured on the Academy’s Transcending Borders concert series, collaborated on new song cycles, musical theatre, and opera, and performed in a Public Masterclass with Nicky Spence in the Susie Sainsbury Theatre.
Anna completed her undergraduate degree with Honors at the University of Kansas as a Choral Scholar for the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas. During this time, Anna was involved in the New Music Guild, Helianthus Contemporary Ensemble, Opera Workshop, and the University of Kansas Opera. She also was selected as the alto soloist for a premiere of Richard Gilmore’s “Journey to Freedom” with the University of California - Irvine Symphony.
Anna has been a part of many collaborations over the past few years, most recently working with composer Geoffrey King on Songs from the reactor, premiering these pieces during the Royal Academy of Music Student’s Create Festival. She has also been a part of Helianthus Contemporary Ensemble and The University of Kansas New Music Guild where she worked with composers to workshop, record, and premiere new work for voice and varying chamber ensembles. Anna is excited to be collaborating with Jonty LefroyWatt on a new cycle for Voice and Guitar with text by Zadie Loft.
Anna is also passionate about contemporary theatre and opera and takes every opportunity to explore new stories on the dramatic stage. Their recent operatic engagements include Périchole in La Périchole (RAO Scenes), L’Enfant et les Sortileges (RAO Scenes), Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia (RAM Scenes), Hansel in Hansel und Gretel (RAM Scenes), Romeo I Capuleti e I Montecchi (RAM Scenes), Meg Page in Falstaff (Lawrence Opera Theater *LOT), Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (KU Opera), Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier (LOT), Paquette in Candide (KU Opera), Meg in Little Women (LOT), Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte (LOT), Announcer in Gallantry (KU Opera Workshop), and Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors(KU Opera Workshop). Anna frequently participates in readings of new work for new operas in their early developmental stages.
Outside of the stage, Anna composes and commissions song based on untold stories of Kansas and Native poets.