
KRYSTY SWANN
MEZZO-SOPRANO
BIOGRAPHY
Acclaimed mezzo-soprano Krysty Swann has been hailed for her beautiful and rich voice, as well as her captivating presence on stage. The Washington Post declared, “Krysty Swann has a voice, and she knows how to use it…[She] displayed an instrument of immense power, natural beauty of tone and luscious legato line.” The Philadelphia-born, New York-based mezzo-soprano also had the pleasure of being featured on the cover of Opera News with the great Dolora Zajick.
Last season, Ms. Swann returned to the Lyric Opera of Chicago to sing Girlfriend 3 and cover the Mother in Blue. She also joined Oberlin Conservatory to sing Fatima in Omar and New Haven Symphony for The Ordering of Moses. She workshopped Dana Franklin in Kindred at the Apollo Theater, and she closed the season with a return to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as Beulah in the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon, Lynn Nottage, and Ruby Aiyo Gerber’s This House. This season she joins Bard Music Festival as the Bird Seller in Martinů’s Julietta.
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Ms. Swann opened the previous season as Jade Boucher in Dead Man Walking with The Metropolitan Opera, which was followed by the Mother in New Orleans Opera’s production of Blue. She continued the season with Cousin Blanche in Champion with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Shönberg’s Gurre-Lieder with the American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, Messiah with the Evansville Philharmonic, and Sanctuary Road with Princeton Pro Musica. Ms. Swann also joined the Rochester Philharmonic for the finale of their centennial season, featuring Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and the world premiere of Derrick Skye’s To Seek is Jubilance; she sang on concerts with Maryland Opera and On Site Opera; and she joined Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for a series of workshops as part of their New Works Collective.
In recent seasons, Ms. Swann returned to The Metropolitan Opera as Cousin Evelyn in Champion, and sang Rossweisse in Detroit Opera’s The Valkyries, Elijah with Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Verdi’s Requiem with the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, The Ordering of Moses for Oberlin Conservatory, and Handel’s Messiah for Pacific Symphony. She débuted at The Metropolitan Opera as the Third Maid in Elektra and appeared in the revival of Philip Glass’ Akhnaten. In addition, Swann saw her first performances as the Mother in Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson's Blue for Detroit Opera. For Lincoln Center Theater, she created the role of Mayme in the world premiere of Intimate Apparel, directed by Bartlett Sher and written by Lynn Nottage and Ricky Ian Gordon. The production was filmed for PBS Great Performances and is available to stream. On the concert stage, Ms. Swann performed The Ordering of Moses for the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, and the mezzo-soprano solo in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 for the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. She appeared in a virtual performance of Handel’s Messiah with Glens Falls Symphony, in a Gala Concert for Princeton Festival, and in Tulsa Opera’s Greenwood Overcomes concert. She also created the role of Joyce “Tilly” Mitchell in the world premiere of Nico Muhly’s digital one act opera The Glitch which was released by Catapult Opera in February 2021.
With The Metropolitan Opera, she has appeared in productions of Die Walküre, Marnie, Il tabarro, and Francesca da Rimini. She also appeared in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s productions of Rigoletto, Die Walküre, and as the Third Maid in Elektra. Other recent engagements include her return to Grimgerde in Dallas Symphony’s concert production of Die Walküre under the baton of Maestro Jaap van Zweden, the role of Grandma in the world premiere of Douglas Tappin’s I Dream with Toledo Opera and Opera Carolina, and Irina in Lost in the Stars with Union Avenue Opera. She also performed in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein with the Ensemble for the Romantic Century in New York.
She performed Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with New York City Opera, Maddalena in The Atlanta Opera’s Rigoletto, and Amneris in Bucharest National Opera's production of Aida. She also covered the title role of Richard Danielpour's opera Margaret Garner, which received its world premiere in 2005 (New York City Opera).
Concert highlights from recent seasons also include Mozart’s Requiem at Carnegie Hall; Verdi’s Requiem at Lincoln Center and with Santa Barbara Symphony; her concert début in South Africa with the acclaimed KZN Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Daniel Boico; her Milan début in concert with La Verdi orchestra; a return to Austria's Bregenz Festival for a second season; and her début with the Boston Symphony Orchestra as well as the Tanglewood Music Festival. Additional concert engagements include Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 with Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, Mozart’s Great Mass in C Minor with the Eugene Concert Choir, and an MLK tribute concert with Bach Festival Society of Winter Park. Ms. Swann returned to Carnegie Hall as Lola in Cavalleria rusticana with the Opera Orchestra of New York under the baton of Alberto Veronesi, alongside Maria Guleghina, Roberto Alagna, and Mignon Dunn, garnering rave reviews. She has appeared as a soloist in Messiah with the Rochester Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. She has also appeared as Emilia with Nathan Gunn and Victoria Clarke in The Firebrand of Florence by Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin, conducted by Ted Sperling. She made her début at Avery Fisher Hall in Verdi's Requiem and sang in Giacomo Puccini's Edgar along with Marcello Giordani with the Opera Orchestra of New York conducted by Eve Queler.
Ms. Swann is a winner of the 2013 Marcello Giordani International Vocal Competition in Italy and the Intermezzo Foundation Award (Elardo International Opera Competition), as well as a two-time winner of the Richard F. Gold Career Grant (New York City Opera and Manhattan School of Music). Other distinctions include the Silver Prize of the Opera Index Competition and prizes from the Licia Albanese Puccini Foundation and the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
Current as of September 1, 2025
CRITICAL ACCLAIM
"...plumy tone was natural, never forced, and whose musicality was beautiful..." – New York Concert Review
Mozart's Requiem – “… Joined by a fabulous mezzo-soprano, new to me, Krysty Swann, whose plumy tone was natural, never forced, and whose musicality was beautiful.”
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"...displayed an instrument of immense power, natural beauty of tone, and luscious legato line..." – The Washington Post
Phillip's Collection Recital – “Krysty Swann has a voice and she knows how to use it, as she showed in an hour-long recital at the Phillips Collection on Sunday afternoon. The Detroit born mezzo-soprano, whose star has been rising since she was featured a few years ago in the New York City Opera’s production of Richard Danielpour’s opera Margaret Garner, displayed an instrument of immense power, natural beauty of tone, and luscious legato line.”
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“Swann soars in season closer! She has a warm, powerful voice and strong technical skills which she applies intelligently to the music. She showed her versatility and attractive stage personality in a range of arias, from the dramatic to the coquettish!” – Tonight/Music
KZN Philharmonic Orchestra Concert – “Swann soars in season closer! She has a warm, powerful voice and strong technical skills which she applies intelligently to the music. She showed her versatility and attractive stage personality in a range of arias, from the dramatic to the coquettish!”
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"...has a range from comic to despair..." – NewsNotes Dance Blog
Intimate Apparel – "The role of Mayme, one of Esther’s best friends, is that of a prostitute, but is a role that has a range from the comic to despair, which proved to be a vehicle for yet another compelling performance. This one coming from Krysty Swann who heightens both the comic moments and dramatic moments in her singing and acting displaying her versatility."
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"...voluptuous mezzo..." – The Wall Street Journal
Intimate Apparel – "Krysty Swann’s voluptuous mezzo brought a louche ease to Mayme..."
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"Almost stole the show..." – Times Square Chronicle
Intimate Apparel – "Almost stealing the show is Krysty Swann as Mayme. Her love for Songbird, which turns out to be George is filled with love, longing and lust and when she has to give him up it is painful."









