“Kyaunnee Richardson is a sparkling Frasquita.”
Dario Acosta Photography
Kyaunnee Richardson made her professional debut as Papagena in The Magic Flute with Festival of the Arts Boca in 2016. Recently, Kyaunnee starred as Calpurnia in the world premiere of The Secret River with Opera Orlando and last season made her Opera Orlando debut as Adele in Die Fledermaus. Other highlights from the last few seasons include the roles of Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with the Savannah VOICE Festival; Adele in Die Fledermaus, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Despina in Così fan tutte with Opera in Williamsburg; Monica in The Medium with First Coast Opera; Sister 2 in the world premiere of Why I Live at the PO with UrbanArias; Juliette in Roméo et Juliette and Maria in West Side Story with Gulfshore Opera’s Gala Concert; Frasquita in Carmen and Gretel in Hansel and Gretel with Opera Orlando; Alice Allegretto and Dr. Marigold in Bruce Adolphe’s The Amazing Adventure of Alvin Allegretto with Orchestra Miami, Nella in Opera Fusion’s production of Gianni Schicchi, Clara in Porgy and Bess with the South Florida Symphony, Glinda in Stage Door’s production of The Wiz, Monica in Opera Fusion’s production of The Medium, Yema in Utah Festival's regional premiere of Smith's Amazing Grace, Pamina in The Magic Flute with Orchestra Miami, Esther in the concert premiere of Ginsberg’s Esther, Sweet Esther at the National Press Club in Washington DC, the roles of Najade in Ariadne auf Naxos, Gilda in Rigoletto, Lisette in La rondine, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, Despina in Così fan tutte and Adele in Die Fledermaus with Opera Fusion’s Emerging Artist Project series and she has performed with the Savannah VOICE Festival. While completing her masters at Florida State University, Kyaunnee performed the roles of Rose Maurrant in Street Scene and Despina in Così fan tutte.
“…but soprano Kyaunnee Richardson made Adele’s scenes mesmerizing… and Richardson’s voicing of the oft-excerpted couplets ‘Mein Herr Marquis, ein Mann wie Sie,’ her trills and top D lustrous…. As Adele exhibited her fledgling talent for the stage, seeking sponsorship for a career in the theater, the couplets in Act Three, ‘Spiel ich die Unschuld vom Lande,’ were intoned with musical and comedic virtuosity. In fantastic voice throughout the performance, Richardson reserved her best effort for the final scene, bringing down the curtain with a phenomenal interpolated top D, and her uncontainable smile brought sunlight to the auditorium on a stormy afternoon…” ~Joseph Newsome, Voix des Arts
“… A particular joy of Opera in Williamsburg’s staging of Così fan tutte was the casting of a young, vibrant Despina who both possesses and wields complete control over a fine voice… Soprano Kyaunnee Richardson ignite the performance with her fiery singing and personality… Vocally and comedically, Richardson was an typically endearing Despina who both earned her laughs and sang Mozart’s music with charm and technical flair…” ~Joseph Newsome, Voix des Arts
“…A lot rests on the shoulders of Kyaunnee Richardson, who plays Calpurnia, and she succeeds marvelously in capturing childlike inquisitiveness and determination without overplaying…” ~Matt Palm, Orlando Sentinel
“…Calpurnia is an appealing role, thrillingly played here by soprano Kyaunnee Richardson, who was on stage for virtually the entire 65-minute opera... her girlish charm and accurate, colorful singing picked up momentum and presence as the story unfolded, and by the end her performance felt like a real star turn…” ~John Fleming, Musical America
“And Kyaunnee Richardson is especially memorable with a beautifully playful coloratura and a winning way with a snarky aside.” ~Matt Palm, Orlando Sentinel
Dario Acosta Photography
Her performances as a soloist with orchestra include Handel’s Messiah with the Civic Chorale of Greater Miami and the Alhambra Orchestra and Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Delray Orchestra. She has also been a featured soloist with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Brevard Symphony Orchestra, Symphony of the Americas, Orlando Philharmonic, South Florida Symphony Orchestra, Hallandale Symphonic Pops Orchestra, Sugar Pops Orchestra, Opera Fusion Orchestra, Coral Gables Chamber Orchestra and the Sunrise Symphonic Pops Orchestra.
Recently, Kyaunnee placed first in the 2023 Opera Ebony's Benjamin Matthews Vocal Competition and was a semi-finalist in the 2023 American Traditions Vocal Competition where she was awarded the Sherrill Milnes American Opera Award. Other awards include being one of the top four finalists in Orchestra Noir’s International Medallion Competition, a finalist in the 2020 SAS Performing Arts Vocal Competition, the Michael Ballam Concorso Lirico Opera Competition, placing third in the New York Lyric Opera Theatre and Opera Ebony’s Benjamin Matthews Vocal Competition, the Audience Favorite Award in the Harlem Opera Theater Competition, the Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and Stuart Smith Audience Favorite Award from Opera Ebony.
Kyaunnee counts among her highest honors singing for President Barak Obama and other dignitaries at the funeral of South Carolina Senator and Rev. Clementa Pinckney.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic she has performed virtually, including Opera Fusion’s #SongStrong and Music to Eat Chocolate By e-concerts, Hued Songs in Make Music Miami, and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s international online Cadenza Competition.
“… but from the first notes of Miami-native Kyaunnee Richardson’s ‘Summertime’ early in the first scene, the audience was put on notice that this was to be a truly memorable occasion.” ~South Florida Gay News
“The great female solos go to supporting characters. Kyaunnee Richardson opened the opera with a lyrical rendition of ‘Summertime’ — sung by Clara, who never returns except for a brief repairs of the shows’s most famous excerpt.” ~Palm Beach Arts Paper