Australian soprano Lauren Fagan has rapidly established herself as one of her generation’s most compelling singing actresses, acclaimed for her ​“glossy, commanding sound” and ​“magnificent dramatic power”.

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Fagan’s 2026/27 season marks her return to the Canadian Opera Company as Fiordiligi in Atom Egoyan’s production of Così fan tutte under Johannes Debus, her English National Opera debut as Refka in Saariaho’s Adriana Mater, directed by Annilese Miskimmon and conducted by André de Ridder, as well as her Bayerische Staatsoper debut as Dritte Norn in Götterdämmerung as part of Tobias Kratzer’s new Ring production led by Vladimir Jurowski. In concert this season she joins the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra for Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 under Domingo Hindoyan. Most recently, Fagan earned widespread acclaim in the title roles of Rusalka at the Royal Swedish Opera, in a new production by Netia Jones and conducted by Alan Gilbert, and Barber’s Vanessa at Spoleto Festival, in a new production by Leo Muscato under the baton of Sora Elisabeth Lee, alongside her return to Opera Australia as Tatyana in Eugene Onegin, preceded by her debut as Elsa in Wagner’s Lohengrin at both Klaipeda Festival and Midsummer Vilnius Festival, and performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under Simone Young.

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A graduate of the Royal Opera House Jette Parker Young Artist Programme, she has returned to Covent Garden as a guest artist as Woglinde (Das Rheingold/Götterdämmerung), conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano, Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel) under Mark Wigglesworth and Musetta (La bohème) under Keri-Lynn Wilson. Lauren Fagan’s early promise was swiftly recognised by the major British companies: at Glyndebourne, she appeared as Avis in the first modern revival of Ethel Smyth’s The Wreckers under Robin Ticciati, followed by Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream under Dalia Stasevska. Other notable performances include Margarita Xirgu (Ainadamar) for Scottish Opera, Mimì (La bohème) at Opera North, and Violetta (La traviata) at Opera Holland Park, where she was praised for ​“mining unsuspected depths of emotion while singing the music with pearly ease” (The Times). Representing Australia at the 2019 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, Fagan made her operatic debut as Violetta (La traviata) with State Opera South Australia, subsequently appearing with Opera Australia as Suor Angelica under Lydia Yankovskaya.

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International recognition followed with past highlights including her debut as Komponist (Ariadne auf Naxos) in Andreas Homoki’s new production at Opernhaus Zürich, where she previously sang Giulietta (Les contes d’Hoffmann) under Antonio Fogliani and Gutrune (Götterdämmerung) under Gianandrea Noseda. Following her debut as Contessa (Le nozze di Figaro) for Canadian Opera Company under Harry Bicket, she received an immediate re-invitation as Tatyana (Eugene Onegin), conducted by Speranza Scappucci. As part of Karlsruhe’s International Händelfestspiele, Fagan was acclaimed for exceptional performances as Alcina, and she made important debuts at both Opéra National de Paris and Bayerische Staatsoper in Marina Abramović’s 7 Deaths of Maria Callas. Concertante, Lauren Fagan made her debut as Roxana (Król Roger) with Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia under Sir Antonio Pappano and joined Kirill Petrenko and Berliner Philharmoniker at Festspielhaus Baden-Baden and Berliner Philharmonie as Fifth Maid (Elektra).

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On the concert platform, Fagan’s experience spans from Beethoven’s Ah! Perfido with Sydney Symphony Orchestra under Simone Young to Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with Adelaide Symphony Orchestra under Dane Lam. She has sung Handel’s Messiah with Toronto Symphony Orchestra under Gustavo Gimeno, Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with Oslo Philharmonic under Klaus Mäkelä, Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music at Last Night of the BBC Proms under Sakari Oramo, and Strauss’ Vier letzte Lieder in Malmö under Karen Kamensek.

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