KRISTINA COOKE - Voice and Violin, Viola (Croton and Mohegan Lake Locations)

Kristina Cooke, an emerging soprano originally hailing from Chicago, is excited to be joining the staff of CSPA. She holds a Master’s degree from New England Conservatory in Voice, a Bachelor’s in Music for Voice and Viola from TCU, and is an active performer. Ms. Cook most recently appeared in April, 2018 with Taconic Opera as Amelia in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera. In 2017, Kristina created the role of Tammy Smithson in the new opera In Bocca al Lupo by Dan Montez, appeared as Rosalinde in two productions of Die Fledermaus, and made her New York concert stage debut with the Chappaqua Orchestra singing Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 by Heitor Villa-Lobos. Having performed as a mezzo-soprano for the bulk of her career, Ms.Cook recently began singing lyrico-spinto repertoire and has developed a significant upper extension. She sang her first soprano role in 2016 as Mercedes in Taconic Opera’s production of Carmen and covered the role of Marguerite in Gounod’s Faust. Past mezzo credits include Cherubino in three productions of The Marriage of Figaro, where she was praised as “supremely funny”, Dorabella in Così fan Tutte, the title roles in Carmen and Britten’s Rape of Lucretia, the Musico in Donizetti’s Viva La Mamma, Anicasia in Jose Serrano’s zarzuela, La Dolorosa, and Tonina in Salieri’s First the Music, Then the Words. She has appeared as soloist in Bach's Magnificat and Couperin's Magnificat with historic choral group The Boston Cecilia under the late Donald Teeters. She also performed as soloist in the premier of Missa in Re Menor by Mexican composer, Arturo Rodriguez, with the Camerata de Monterrey. She has been honored to premier several works written for her voice by Mr. Rodriguez as well as by Boston composer, Leonardo Ciampa. Later in 2018, Ms. Cook will appear as Fiordiligi in Così fan Tutte and The Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute with the Westchester Opera Conservatory, and Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana and Lauretta inGianni Schicchi with Taconic Opera.