Catherine Wethington, Soprano

Catherine Wethington, American coloratura soprano, has captivated audiences in North America and Europe with her “sumptuous coloratura and other-worldly pianissimi” (Herald Tribune). Opera Canada Magazine describes Ms. Wethington as having the “vocal power, dramatic finesse... [and] vocal fireworks” necessary for bel canto opera.

In April 2023, Ms. Wethington was awarded first prize in the 14th City of Brescia Tribute to Maria Callas International Competition. In addition to first place, she won the Callas Award and the Verdi Award, claiming three of the top prizes of the competition. In March 2023, Ms. Wethington was awarded the Song Prize in the Marie Kraja Opera Competition in Tirana, Albania, and in January 2019, Wethington was a finalist and third place winner in the Concorso Lirico Internazionale Gigli-Franci, in Rome, Italy.

In 2019,  Ms. Wethington debuted in the role of Amina, in Bellini’s La sonnambula with Opera Niagara and made her debut in Busseto, Italy, as Medora in Verdi’s Il Corsaro, directed by Marco Gandini. In addition, she sang under the baton of Maestro Richard Bonynge, performing the role of Amina from La sonnambula in Busseto, Italy. Comfortable in both comedic and dramatic roles, she has won acclaim as Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto, Königin der Nacht in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Eurydice in Offenbach’s Orpheé aux enfers, Suor Genovieffa in Puccini’s Suor Angelica, Olympia in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Blonde in Mozart’s Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, and Nella in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi.

In April 2019, the Northern Virginia native, debuted as a featured soloist with the La Musica Festival in Sarasota, Florida, in concert with Mr. Derek Han, concert pianist, and flautist Demarre McGill, performing a selection of songs for voice, flute, and piano. In October of that year, she performed with Mr. Han for a second time in a series of concerts as part of the Kosovo Kamerfest 2019, Skopje Kamerfest 2019, and Albania Kamerfest 2019, performing in Pristina, Skopje, and Tirana. In the summer of 2022, Ms. Wethington returned to the Western Balkans as featured artist in concerts conducted by Maestra Deniola Kuraja with the North Macedonian Philharmonic and the Albanian National Theater of Opera and Ballet Orchestra, performing the “Mad Scene” from Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor among other works. In October 2023, Ms. Wethington returned to Tirana, Albania to join the Tre Teneret concert to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of  Mother Teresa’s beatification, including the Albanian premiere of the “Hymn to Mother Teresa,” with the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Tirana. She will be featured as the soprano soloist in the American premiere of the “Hymn to Mother Teresa” on February 22, 2025 at Carnegie Hall.

Ms. Wethington made her debut on the Kennedy Center Concert Hall stage as a soprano soloist in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, a role she has repeated multiple times, including with the Choral Arts Society of Washington at the Strathmore Performing Arts Center as well as with the Choral Artists of Sarasota, in collaboration with the Venice Percussion Ensemble and Sarasota Contemporary Dance. Ms. Wethington has been a featured soloist in concerts and recitals in North America and in Europe, including in a televised concert celebrating tenor, Carlo Bergonzi and in recital at the French Embassy in Washington, DC. In 2018, Ms. Wethington made her London debut in Cadogan Hall, as a guest artist with the London Bel Canto Festival.

She was the featured soloist for the 2021 Children’s Chorus of Washington 25th Anniversary Gala, performing virtually during the Covid pandemic. In 2022, she presented a concert in Athens, Greece as part of the 2022 Global Innovation Summit, at the invitation of the US Ambassador to Greece. Also in 2022, Ms. Wethington returned to Sarasota to sing in the “Going Green” Gala with Choral Artists of Sarasota, and in March 2023, she was a featured artist in their SILL Monday Morning Artist series. Most recently in December 2024, she was the soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Annapolis Chorale and Live Arts Maryland.

Ms. Wethington holds music degrees from the University of Michigan and The Catholic University of America.