Hailed by the press as “a gifted performer” and “a treat to savor,” Kaylee Nichols, American mezzo-soprano, was recently seen as Flora in La traviata at The Santa Fe Opera where she was a recipient of the Award of Excellence. She also covered the role of Michele in The Righteous by Gregory Spears and Tracy K. Smith after workshopping the role with Opera Fusion: New Works. In previous seasons, Nichols debuted with rave reviews as the Kitchen Boy in Rusalka at The Santa Fe Opera. She also returned to Nashville Opera as Mrs. Nolan in The Medium. This is her debut with Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra as the alto Soloist in Handel’s Messiah.
In 2021–2022, Ms. Nichols made her debut with the Springfield Symphony as the Alto Soloist in their Mozart Requiem. As a member of the Bonfils-Stanton Artist Training Program at Central City Opera, she covered the title role in Dido and Aeneas and appeared as Giovanna in the family performance of Rigoletto. She also appeared with Nashville Opera to reprise her role as Maddalena in Rigoletto, and with Sarasota Opera as an Apprentice Artist.
During the 2019–2020 season, she made role debuts as Mercedes in Carmen with Chattanooga Symphony & Opera and Maddalena in Rigoletto with Opera Project Columbus. She also joined Nashville Opera as a member of the Mary Ragland Emerging Artist Program. During her residency, Ms. Nichols appeared as the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Angie in Pepito, and Mrs. Grose in Turn of the Screw. In the summer of 2020, Nichols was accepted as an Active Participant in the Dandelion Opera Institute, an intensive online training program.
Ms. Nichols concert experience includes Mozart Mass in C minor, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Haydn’s Missa Brevis in F, Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Brittan, Chichester Psalms by Leonard Bernstein, and various recordings for Chorister’s Guild.