[Wiesbaden]

Australian lyric coloratura soprano Michelle Ryan is this years recipient of the German-Australian Opera Grant and will be on contract with the Hessisches Staatstheater, Wiesbaden 2020-2021.

Her roles will include Musetta from La Boheme, Waldvogel from Siegfried, Barbarina from Le nozze di Figaro, Berta from Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Die Seele from Babylon.

Michelle attended The Sydney Conservatorium of Music, with early roles after her studies including Despina in Mozarts' Cosi fan tutte and Clorinda in Rossinis' La Cenerentola (Lyric Opera Studio Weimar). Frasquita in Carmen by Bizet (Berlin Opera Academy) and Zerlina at the Prague Summer Nights Festival production of Don Giovanni by Mozart.

Michelle covered the role of Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss at the Lisa Gasteen National Opera School in 2018, returning the next year to perform the role of Anna Reich in Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor, conducted by Ward Stare.

She has also sung Adele in Die Fledermaus at the Cuskelly School of Music Summer Program, with the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra. Michelle has sung regularly with Voci Stupende, Cantillation in productions with Pinchgut Opera and has performed in concerts and festivals with The Song Company.

She was a Young Artist with Pacific Opera in 2019 where she performed in A Viennese Gala with the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Nicholas Milton and sang the role of Suor Genovieffa in Pacific Opera's production of Suor Angelica with Music at Manly. ​

In 2019 competitions, Michelle was a Finalist in the Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship and the Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge Foundation Bel Canto Award where she won the DECCA award and the Tait Memorial Trust Award, enabling her to perform in London. ​

Recently Michelle joined the Extra Chorus with Opera Australia for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour for their production of La Traviata. She is also the cover for the role of Annina.