Kathryn Handsaker was born in Temora, New South Wales, Australia. In 2001 she completed her Master of Music, majoring in Vocal Performance at the Australian National University, Canberra. Prior to this she completed her Postgraduate Diploma in Opera Performance at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. Additionally, Kathryn received a Diploma of Speech and Drama at the Trinity College, London and a Diploma of Teaching at the Australian Catholic University, Sydney.
Kathryn has an extensive and ever growing operatic repertoire. Her roles include: Der Dritte in Spuren der Verirrten (Traces of the Lost), G in Spuren der Verirrten, Siegrune in Die Walküre, Flosshilde in Götterdämmerung, Prinz Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Miss Julie Folly in Pariser Leben, Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, Dorabella in Così fan tutte, The Child in L' Enfant et les Sortilèges, Mère Jeanne in Dialogues des Carmélites, Tisbe in La Cenerentola, Dackel, Frosch und Specht in Das schlaue Füchslein, Florence Pike in Albert Herring, Rosette in Manon, Elfe in The Fairy Queen, Aglaonice in Orphée, Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor, Musikant in Manon Lescaut, Carmen in Carmen, Sister Lillianne in Dead Man Walking, Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Lola in Cavalleria rusticana.
Kathryn has performed many Oratorios, Concerts and Masses. For example: Mahler Symphony No. 3, Brucknerhaus, Linz, Austria, Jeremiah Symphony No. 1, singing the mezzo soloist part in 5 concerts with the Bruckner Orchestra Linz at the Brucknerhaus, Linz and on tour throughout the USA. She has sung Pulcinella in St Florian, Austria with the Bruckner Orchestra Linz and Bruckner's D minor Mass and Te Deum, also with the Bruckner Orchestra Linz. Handel’s Messiah in Orange and Grafton, Australia, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Llewellyn Hall, Canberra, Mass in B minor from Johann Sebastian Bach, Llewellyn Hall, Canberra, Mozart’s Sparrow Mass, Mauthausen, Austria, and Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, Linz, to name but a few.
Kathryn has also received many awards and prizes during her solo career. She received 3rd prize in the German Operatic Award, Melbourne, Australia. Kathryn was also a finalist for Les Jeunes Voix du Rhin Young Artist Program, Colmar, France. During her studies in Australia she competed in various renowned singing competitions, receiving the first prize award seven times.
Kathryn enjoys foreign languages and during her stay in Düsseldorf completed various German courses with the Goethe Institut and continued to complete German courses when she came to live in Linz in 2005. Kathryn has also studied Spanish and is continuing to study French with a private French teacher.
From 19th September 2015 Kathryn will sing the role of Flora in Robert Wilson's La Traviata at the Landestheater Linz. She will also be performing the role of Mama Sieppe in McTeague from February 2016 at the Landestheater Linz.
