Mezzo soprano, Katherine Saik DeLugan, is a cross-genre vocalist and performing arts educator who currently serves as a Lecturer in Music at Smith College; one of the largest women’s liberal arts colleges in the United States. She holds a Bachelor of Music from UMass Amherst, and a Master of Music from the Manhattan School of Music where she focused on classical music and opera performance. 

 

Since returning to the Pioneer Valley, Katherine has been active in local and regional performing arts. Her operatic roles have been described by MassLive as “gloriously sung” and having “sparkled easily above the orchestra”. Praised for her acting and characterization, she was most recently described by the Berkshire Eagle and the Boston Music Intelligencer as having “channeled flashes of brilliance” and leaving “an indelible impression”.

 

Her most recent roles include Sieglinde and Siegrune in Die Walküre, Octavian in scenes from Der Rosenkavalier, and the title role in Suor Angelica. She also regularly appears as a concert soloist with numerous regional orchestras, choirs, colleges and universities. In addition to opera and concert work, Katherine is passionate about art song and programs multiple recitals throughout the academic year exploring the rich traditions of Western Art Music.

 

In addition to performing and teaching, Katherine has been active in recent years as a stage director, administrator and producer for schools and local arts organizations. She is the current president of PanOpera Inc, has directed several musicals and ensembles for local school districts, served on the board of the Valley Light Opera, stage directed a professional production of Sweeney Todd, and produced two virtual concerts (Rhapsody and American Arias) during the pandemic.