top of page

copyright Amy Wilton 0021.jpg

KAYLEIGH TOLLEY

MEZZO SOPRANO OPERA SINGER

PHOTOS

Photo credit: Amy Wilton Photography

PERFORMANCES

VIDEOS

All Videos

All Videos

Three months late but the photos are out! It was an absolute dream playing Dorabella this spring at Boston Conservatory.

I am so grateful to my Fiordiligi @kaylakovacssoprano, who was my rock throughout this process, our Ferrando and Guglielmo (@thjv1 and @jdedel15), who made it nearly impossible not to break onstage, our amazing Despina (@mollyxmcdonough) and Don Alfonso (@jovanniferrer), along with the other cast, our incredible friends in chorus, orchestra, and the whole creative team. I feel so blessed to have gotten to work with such a hard-working, reliable, and kind ensemble.

⚓️♥️

Conducted by Andrew Bisantz
Directed by David Gately

Thank you to Dave Green for these beautiful pictures!

Three months late but the photos are out! It was an absolute dream playing Dorabella this spring at Boston Conservatory.

I am so grateful to my Fiordiligi @kaylakovacssoprano, who was my rock throughout this process, our Ferrando and Guglielmo (@thjv1 and @jdedel15), who made it nearly impossible not to break onstage, our amazing Despina (@mollyxmcdonough) and Don Alfonso (@jovanniferrer), along with the other cast, our incredible friends in chorus, orchestra, and the whole creative team. I feel so blessed to have gotten to work with such a hard-working, reliable, and kind ensemble.

⚓️♥️

Conducted by Andrew Bisantz
Directed by David Gately

Thank you to Dave Green for these beautiful pictures!

I am beyond grateful to have met and worked with all of these kind, funny, talented, and hard-working people the last four weeks at Prague Summer Nights. Playing Cherubino was such a dream and I cannot wait for the next time I get to do it!! My first production of Le Nozze di Figaro was certainly an unforgettable one. Huge thanks to our whole artistic team and both casts for creating such a positive and uplifting rehearsal space. One of the best months of my life♥️

I am beyond grateful to have met and worked with all of these kind, funny, talented, and hard-working people the last four weeks at Prague Summer Nights. Playing Cherubino was such a dream and I cannot wait for the next time I get to do it!! My first production of Le Nozze di Figaro was certainly an unforgettable one. Huge thanks to our whole artistic team and both casts for creating such a positive and uplifting rehearsal space. One of the best months of my life♥️

Such a special evening putting on a recital with Anne Fanelli, Sean Fleming, and John Mehrmann!! I owe so much to Beth Preston, my first voice teacher and forever cheerleader, who made this night possible. Grateful to live in such a supportive and loving community. Thank you to my mom (@ketolley), Katherine (@katherine.tolley), St Patrick’s Church, and everyone there who made this night so wonderful.

Shoutout to Ravel for writing some awesome Tra la la’s, you’re a real one🙏

Such a special evening putting on a recital with Anne Fanelli, Sean Fleming, and John Mehrmann!! I owe so much to Beth Preston, my first voice teacher and forever cheerleader, who made this night possible. Grateful to live in such a supportive and loving community. Thank you to my mom (@ketolley), Katherine (@katherine.tolley), St Patrick’s Church, and everyone there who made this night so wonderful.

Shoutout to Ravel for writing some awesome Tra la la’s, you’re a real one🙏

Thank you Bay Chamber for uplifting young musicians in Maine!! So grateful to be the recipient of the Ezra Rachlin Prize for Excellence with Young Stars of Maine. I had a great time bringing some Dorabella angst and Schubert to the stage with the wonderful Chiharu Naruse.♥️

Thank you Bay Chamber for uplifting young musicians in Maine!! So grateful to be the recipient of the Ezra Rachlin Prize for Excellence with Young Stars of Maine. I had a great time bringing some Dorabella angst and Schubert to the stage with the wonderful Chiharu Naruse.♥️

I am so excited to perform my first Dorabella in Boston Conservatory’s production of Così fan tutte! I am having the best time singing this score and cannot wait to share it with you all♥️ I will be performing next Friday and Sunday with my amazing cast-mates and would love to see you there! The link to get tickets is in my bio :)

I am so excited to perform my first Dorabella in Boston Conservatory’s production of Così fan tutte! I am having the best time singing this score and cannot wait to share it with you all♥️ I will be performing next Friday and Sunday with my amazing cast-mates and would love to see you there! The link to get tickets is in my bio :)

I had the best time performing in my first studio recital at Boston Conservatory this weekend! So happy to be working with Dr. Folsom and Yukiko Oba along with my beautiful friends♥️🫶🏼

This semester has been WILD. I will post more updates as they come, but after finishing BoCo’s double-bill production (Mother Ocean: Riders to the Sea and Whaling Women) in February, rehearsals for Così fan tutte have been in full swing!! I will be playing Dorabella during our run from April 10-13!

I had the best time performing in my first studio recital at Boston Conservatory this weekend! So happy to be working with Dr. Folsom and Yukiko Oba along with my beautiful friends♥️🫶🏼

This semester has been WILD. I will post more updates as they come, but after finishing BoCo’s double-bill production (Mother Ocean: Riders to the Sea and Whaling Women) in February, rehearsals for Così fan tutte have been in full swing!! I will be playing Dorabella during our run from April 10-13!

I had the best time playing Hänsel in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel at @csopera !! I cannot wait for the next time I get to step into this magical world. I think I had way too much fun with my first pants role! My castmates were a dream and I am so grateful for this experience. Thank you to our director, Tina El Gamal, our conductor Codrut Birsan, and our MVP’s Darius Sanders and Neil Mitchell. Thank you @cassiexdixon for being the best onstage sister♥️

And to my fabulous roommates, who made Chicago feel like home.

📸: w biederman photography and nina sun

I had the best time playing Hänsel in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel at @csopera !! I cannot wait for the next time I get to step into this magical world. I think I had way too much fun with my first pants role! My castmates were a dream and I am so grateful for this experience. Thank you to our director, Tina El Gamal, our conductor Codrut Birsan, and our MVP’s Darius Sanders and Neil Mitchell. Thank you @cassiexdixon for being the best onstage sister♥️

And to my fabulous roommates, who made Chicago feel like home.

📸: w biederman photography and nina sun

My highlight of this past semester was working with amazing student composers at Oberlin! I (so happily) sang about candy with @zach.wuor on the senior recital of the kind and brilliant @michellelishen, and then had the honor of performing an incredible piece by @casheldaylewis with strings and harpsichord on their senior recital. My favorite part about this work is collaborating with other musicians—building friendships and community, all the while bringing meaningful beauty into the world.

My highlight of this past semester was working with amazing student composers at Oberlin! I (so happily) sang about candy with @zach.wuor on the senior recital of the kind and brilliant @michellelishen, and then had the honor of performing an incredible piece by @casheldaylewis with strings and harpsichord on their senior recital. My favorite part about this work is collaborating with other musicians—building friendships and community, all the while bringing meaningful beauty into the world.

If you need to find me I will be on cloud 9!!!

One of the best weekends ever!! Eternally grateful♥️

If you need to find me I will be on cloud 9!!!

One of the best weekends ever!! Eternally grateful♥️

I may not know what Missus Herring would say, but I do know that I love Nancy! I don’t think I have ever resonated with a character as much as I do with Nancy. It was a true gift to be a part of this production! So grateful for my colleagues and the creative team. Thank you for everyone who came out to support Oberlin Opera Theater’s production of Albert Herring!♥️

📸Yevhen Gulenko

I may not know what Missus Herring would say, but I do know that I love Nancy! I don’t think I have ever resonated with a character as much as I do with Nancy. It was a true gift to be a part of this production! So grateful for my colleagues and the creative team. Thank you for everyone who came out to support Oberlin Opera Theater’s production of Albert Herring!♥️

📸Yevhen Gulenko

My first time at the Met was a dream!! I have been obsessed with Dead Man Walking for awhile and impulsively bought a ticket to see my mezzo idols Joyce DiDonato and Susan Graham. Jake Heggie never disappoints! So beautiful, so vulnerable, so real. My assigned seat just happened to be next to Patty Thom, who played an integral role in my decision to pursue an education and career in opera. I do not know where I would be without her! Reuniting at the Met five years later was incredible—grateful we could cry and experience this outstanding production together.

I also got rush tickets to see Sweeney Todd, starring my lifelong crush, Josh Groban—another dream!!!! Joyce DiDonato, Susan Graham, Josh Groban? This will take a long time to process. I am eternally grateful for this magical time in NYC♥️

My first time at the Met was a dream!! I have been obsessed with Dead Man Walking for awhile and impulsively bought a ticket to see my mezzo idols Joyce DiDonato and Susan Graham. Jake Heggie never disappoints! So beautiful, so vulnerable, so real. My assigned seat just happened to be next to Patty Thom, who played an integral role in my decision to pursue an education and career in opera. I do not know where I would be without her! Reuniting at the Met five years later was incredible—grateful we could cry and experience this outstanding production together.

I also got rush tickets to see Sweeney Todd, starring my lifelong crush, Josh Groban—another dream!!!! Joyce DiDonato, Susan Graham, Josh Groban? This will take a long time to process. I am eternally grateful for this magical time in NYC♥️

Had the pleasure of performing Britten’s A Charm of Lullabies today. I am learning that the opportunity to put myself out there and share my heart through music is always one worth taking. Making strides in finding peace onstage in recital settings—God really does answer my prayers!🙏🏼♥️

Had the pleasure of performing Britten’s A Charm of Lullabies today. I am learning that the opportunity to put myself out there and share my heart through music is always one worth taking. Making strides in finding peace onstage in recital settings—God really does answer my prayers!🙏🏼♥️

My perfect day: hearing new music about powerful women composed by powerful women, sung by amazing powerful women (who both happened to be named Katherine/Kathryn🎉) !! What a gift it is to have such a wonderful studio lead by such a strong and radiant spirit. Oh, how I love Oberlin!!

Also can we talk about @mormolyke and her Four Poems of Nikita Gill??!!! WOW. Those songs will stay in my heart forever.

My perfect day: hearing new music about powerful women composed by powerful women, sung by amazing powerful women (who both happened to be named Katherine/Kathryn🎉) !! What a gift it is to have such a wonderful studio lead by such a strong and radiant spirit. Oh, how I love Oberlin!!

Also can we talk about @mormolyke and her Four Poems of Nikita Gill??!!! WOW. Those songs will stay in my heart forever.

I have my first music rehearsal for Albert Herring tonight! Here are some rehearsal pictures from the summer at Bel Canto in Tuscany!🎶🎹
📸 - Alessandro Papi

I have my first music rehearsal for Albert Herring tonight! Here are some rehearsal pictures from the summer at Bel Canto in Tuscany!🎶🎹
📸 - Alessandro Papi

Pictures by Alessandro Papi from our last concert in Greve♥️ I performed as Sesto in the finale from La Clemenza di Tito, Alice from Lucia di Lammermoor in the iconic sextet, and as Nicklausse from Les Contes d’Hoffmann singing the Barcarolle. We were lead by Maestro Giovanni Reggioli with the Orchestra of Amadeo Modigliani. A perfect way to wrap up Bel Canto in Tuscany ‘23!

Pictures by Alessandro Papi from our last concert in Greve♥️ I performed as Sesto in the finale from La Clemenza di Tito, Alice from Lucia di Lammermoor in the iconic sextet, and as Nicklausse from Les Contes d’Hoffmann singing the Barcarolle. We were lead by Maestro Giovanni Reggioli with the Orchestra of Amadeo Modigliani. A perfect way to wrap up Bel Canto in Tuscany ‘23!

Some pics from our first concert with @belcantotuscany, performing at the stunning Castello di Verrazzano🏰. I performed duets by Rossini and Donizetti with two of my Oberlin friends and @zoeefthalia!! A night to remember♥️

📸: @alessandropapifotografo

Some pics from our first concert with @belcantotuscany, performing at the stunning Castello di Verrazzano🏰. I performed duets by Rossini and Donizetti with two of my Oberlin friends and @zoeefthalia!! A night to remember♥️

📸: @alessandropapifotografo

Another amazing summer spent at Bel Canto in Tuscany. I learned SO much from the incredible faculty and cannot wait to continue all the work I started! To my friends old and new, and to beautiful Greve in Chianti, thank you. La vita è bella! 🥂🇮🇹🎶

Another amazing summer spent at Bel Canto in Tuscany. I learned SO much from the incredible faculty and cannot wait to continue all the work I started! To my friends old and new, and to beautiful Greve in Chianti, thank you. La vita è bella! 🥂🇮🇹🎶

Took a wonderful day trip to Firenze with my friends and studio mates from Oberlin! Grateful to share this experience in Italy with so many obies!!

Took a wonderful day trip to Firenze with my friends and studio mates from Oberlin! Grateful to share this experience in Italy with so many obies!!

I have been having the best time at Bel Canto in Tuscany so far! We had a concert tonight at Castello di Verrazzano marking the end of the first week here in Greve in Chianti. I sang two Rossini duets and one Donizetti duet with some of my favorite ladies! So grateful for the faculty and opportunities at this program, along with the most beautiful Tuscan views. ♥️🇮🇹

I have been having the best time at Bel Canto in Tuscany so far! We had a concert tonight at Castello di Verrazzano marking the end of the first week here in Greve in Chianti. I sang two Rossini duets and one Donizetti duet with some of my favorite ladies! So grateful for the faculty and opportunities at this program, along with the most beautiful Tuscan views. ♥️🇮🇹

Enjoying some time off while I can!🤗🦋🌲🌼🌊🐚

nature, family, friends, peace, adventure—what else could I possibly ask for?

Enjoying some time off while I can!🤗🦋🌲🌼🌊🐚

nature, family, friends, peace, adventure—what else could I possibly ask for?

Throwback to Bel Canto in Tuscany last year! Singing La Zelatrice in Suor Angelica was such a wonderful experience, despite wearing a nun costume in 100 degree heat! I was so happy I did not even feel it. I cannot wait to return to Greve in Chianti as an emerging artist at BCT this year. So excited!!🍾🎉🇮🇹

Throwback to Bel Canto in Tuscany last year! Singing La Zelatrice in Suor Angelica was such a wonderful experience, despite wearing a nun costume in 100 degree heat! I was so happy I did not even feel it. I cannot wait to return to Greve in Chianti as an emerging artist at BCT this year. So excited!!🍾🎉🇮🇹

The final performance of Songfest was so much fun!! Loved ending the program with a Cabaret night. Working with John Musto, Amy Burton, and my wonderful scene partner, Hooper Stevens, was a dream! Loved getting “Carried away” with such a fantastic group of people. 🎭♥️

The final performance of Songfest was so much fun!! Loved ending the program with a Cabaret night. Working with John Musto, Amy Burton, and my wonderful scene partner, Hooper Stevens, was a dream! Loved getting “Carried away” with such a fantastic group of people. 🎭♥️

One of the highlights of Songfest was getting to learn and perform Puppies on the Other Side of the Door by Alan Louis Smith with the INCREDIBLE Eileen Downey. Eileen was assigned to play the (quite difficult) piece one day before the concert and we put it together in 24 hours. I am SO grateful for all the help, laughs, and patience Eileen gave me, nevermind her sublime playing! Also thankful for the opportunity to sing on this concert given by Elvia Puccinelli and Rosemary Ritter. Alan Louis Smith’s work is extraordinarily beautiful—check it out!

One of the highlights of Songfest was getting to learn and perform Puppies on the Other Side of the Door by Alan Louis Smith with the INCREDIBLE Eileen Downey. Eileen was assigned to play the (quite difficult) piece one day before the concert and we put it together in 24 hours. I am SO grateful for all the help, laughs, and patience Eileen gave me, nevermind her sublime playing! Also thankful for the opportunity to sing on this concert given by Elvia Puccinelli and Rosemary Ritter. Alan Louis Smith’s work is extraordinarily beautiful—check it out!

I had so much fun playing Hansel in the Sandman scene from Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel! I learned so much under the leadership of Grant Knox and Mark Trawka, and had the best time performing with two of my favorite ladies, @mknzsm and @rileyortegasoprano♥️ I hope that someday I will get the opportunity to perform the whole role!

I had so much fun playing Hansel in the Sandman scene from Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel! I learned so much under the leadership of Grant Knox and Mark Trawka, and had the best time performing with two of my favorite ladies, @mknzsm and @rileyortegasoprano♥️ I hope that someday I will get the opportunity to perform the whole role!

I absolutely LOVED collaborating with @tongyao_lilly_li throughout Songfest, on the Roger Vignoles masterclass and From Spain to the Americas, the Spanish song recital. Until our paths cross again!🎹♥️

I absolutely LOVED collaborating with @tongyao_lilly_li throughout Songfest, on the Roger Vignoles masterclass and From Spain to the Americas, the Spanish song recital. Until our paths cross again!🎹♥️

What a joy it was to sing with so many beautiful people and hear amazing new Spanish song repertoire. It was especially wonderful getting to perform with 6 of my roommates. So grateful for Javier Arrebola’s leadership and brilliant curatorial skills. Art song community and recital at its finest✨

What a joy it was to sing with so many beautiful people and hear amazing new Spanish song repertoire. It was especially wonderful getting to perform with 6 of my roommates. So grateful for Javier Arrebola’s leadership and brilliant curatorial skills. Art song community and recital at its finest✨

Had the pleasure of watching my teacher and mentor at Oberlin, Dr. Katherine Jolly, and my studio sister, Caroline Carter, perform beautiful and inspiring new music at a concert centered around the music of living American composers! So grateful to be at Songfest, witnessing and celebrating art song in all forms. So proud of my Oberlin voice family♥️

Had the pleasure of watching my teacher and mentor at Oberlin, Dr. Katherine Jolly, and my studio sister, Caroline Carter, perform beautiful and inspiring new music at a concert centered around the music of living American composers! So grateful to be at Songfest, witnessing and celebrating art song in all forms. So proud of my Oberlin voice family♥️

My summer has gotten off to an incredible start at Songfest! I have been in Tennessee for a little over a week and have two more weeks before I head home. After some time off, I will be going to Bel Canto in Tuscany to return as an emerging artist! So excited for what this summer has in store.🌞

My summer has gotten off to an incredible start at Songfest! I have been in Tennessee for a little over a week and have two more weeks before I head home. After some time off, I will be going to Bel Canto in Tuscany to return as an emerging artist! So excited for what this summer has in store.🌞

I am so sorry to have to break the news, but… I am leaving opera to pursue a career in archaeology🤠

Just kidding!

I have been so privileged to be able to step inside the dig site and explore the mind of an archaeologist! In January 2023 we premiered the opera Alice Tierney, composed by Melissa Dunphy with libretto by Jacqueline Goldfinger, at Oberlin Conservatory. I have been working on Alice Tierney since Fall 2020, workshopping and originating the role of Zandra, everyone’s favorite ex-dominatrix bisexual donut-loving toxic girlfriend archaeologist!

In addition to Alice Tierney’s debut at Oberlin, we were lucky enough to premiere the show with Opera Columbus in April, which doubled as my professional debut! Super grateful for this incredible opportunity and the guidance of our stage director Christopher Mirto, music coach Dan Michalak, conductor Benjamin Martin, and of course the amazing Melissa Dunphy and Jacqueline Goldfinger!

I am so sorry to have to break the news, but… I am leaving opera to pursue a career in archaeology🤠

Just kidding!

I have been so privileged to be able to step inside the dig site and explore the mind of an archaeologist! In January 2023 we premiered the opera Alice Tierney, composed by Melissa Dunphy with libretto by Jacqueline Goldfinger, at Oberlin Conservatory. I have been working on Alice Tierney since Fall 2020, workshopping and originating the role of Zandra, everyone’s favorite ex-dominatrix bisexual donut-loving toxic girlfriend archaeologist!

In addition to Alice Tierney’s debut at Oberlin, we were lucky enough to premiere the show with Opera Columbus in April, which doubled as my professional debut! Super grateful for this incredible opportunity and the guidance of our stage director Christopher Mirto, music coach Dan Michalak, conductor Benjamin Martin, and of course the amazing Melissa Dunphy and Jacqueline Goldfinger!

So grateful for the opportunity to perform in a masterclass with the incomparable Roger Vignoles today! I am currently at Songfest, a music festival centered around art song in Nashville, Tennessee. More performances to come👀 Working with Mr. Vignoles was especially meaningful for me, as a figure who inspired and kick-started my love for this art form. When I was getting into classical singing, my voice teacher in high school, Beth Preston, gave me a huge box full of CD’s to listen to. I instantly fell in love with Susan Graham and Roger Vignoles’ album La Belle Époque: The Songs of Reynaldo Hahn. I listened to them obsessively, and have since sang many songs on that album. Singing one of my favorite English art songs for him was a blessing. My heart is full✨

So grateful for the opportunity to perform in a masterclass with the incomparable Roger Vignoles today! I am currently at Songfest, a music festival centered around art song in Nashville, Tennessee. More performances to come👀 Working with Mr. Vignoles was especially meaningful for me, as a figure who inspired and kick-started my love for this art form. When I was getting into classical singing, my voice teacher in high school, Beth Preston, gave me a huge box full of CD’s to listen to. I instantly fell in love with Susan Graham and Roger Vignoles’ album La Belle Époque: The Songs of Reynaldo Hahn. I listened to them obsessively, and have since sang many songs on that album. Singing one of my favorite English art songs for him was a blessing. My heart is full✨

Hello everyone! My name is Kayleigh Tolley and I am a classical mezzo soprano from Midcoast Maine. I attend Oberlin College and Conservatory, where I am enrolled in the double degree program, majoring in classical voice performance and psychology. In the fall I will be going into my final year at Oberlin, and will be playing Nancy in Oberlin Opera Theater’s production of Albert Herring by Benjamin Britten. This photo was captured after my junior recital at Oberlin in March. Follow this account to join me on my journey to become an opera singer♥️

Hello everyone! My name is Kayleigh Tolley and I am a classical mezzo soprano from Midcoast Maine. I attend Oberlin College and Conservatory, where I am enrolled in the double degree program, majoring in classical voice performance and psychology. In the fall I will be going into my final year at Oberlin, and will be playing Nancy in Oberlin Opera Theater’s production of Albert Herring by Benjamin Britten. This photo was captured after my junior recital at Oberlin in March. Follow this account to join me on my journey to become an opera singer♥️

.pro-gallery-wix-wrapper {display: block !important;} .pro-gallery-wix-wrapper .gallery-item-container {opacity: 1 !important; display: block !important;}

Follow us on Instagram

@kayleightolley_mezzo

bottom of page