"Bright toned and agile" The Irish Times
"..sang Beatrice's taxing final cabaletta with accomplishment" Opera
Opera . Soprano
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"one of the most intense performances you could hope for...a hugely affecting heroine" The Times
Cliona Cassidy is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music and has studied with Jennifer Hamilton in Dublin, Amelia Felle in Italy and Caroline Crawshaw in the UK.
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Operatic roles performed include the title roles in Lucia di Lammermoor, Beatrice di Tenda and Alcina, Adina (L’Elisir d’Amore), Pamina (The Magic Flute), Irene (Tamerlano), Dorabella and Despina (Cosi’ fan Tutte), Serafina ( il Campanello di Notte), Rosina (The Barber of Seville), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel), Sesto (Giulio Cesare) and Daphne (Apollo and Daphne).
​While at Scottish Opera, she has debuted as First Bridesmaid in Sir Thomas Allen's production of Le Nozze di Figaro and has sung with the Orchestra of Scottish Opera in The Opera Factory, a show for children. She has covered the roles of Jano (Jenufa) and First and Second Boy (The magic Flute) and has sung in the chorus since 2012.
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Oratorio work includes Orff's Carmina Burana, Mozart Mass in C minor, Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Haydn's Nelson Mass and Creation, and Brahms' Requiem.
She has performed Judith Wier's orchestral song-cycle Natural History with the RNCMSO, introduced by the composer, and again with Derby Concert Orchestra, and performed the role of Anna/Speaker in James MacMillan’s Parthenogenesis, which was recorded live for BBC Radio 3.
Cliona was a finalist in the City of Bologna Baroque Opera competition 2009, and the Ritorna Vincitor international opera competition 2010 in italy and was a member of the Artist's Panel for Dublin City Council from 2011-2014.
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