Described as possessing a ‘strongly focused, finely shaped voice’ (Planet Hugill) and ‘Sheridan-Smith like glamour’ (Classical Source), Hazel McBain is a Scottish soprano who graduated with distinction from the opera course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland under the tuition of Wilma MacDougall. On graduating, she received the Ian Smith of Stornoway Award. Hazel previously graduated with first class honours from the Royal College of Music, where she studied with Kathleen Livingstone.

 

In the 2016/17 season she was selected to join the Emerging Artists Programme at Scottish Opera where she performed numerous roles. She has been an ensemble member at the Salzburger Landestheater since 2018 and last season made her debut at the English National Opera.

 

Recent operatic engagements include Meretaten Akhnaten (English National Opera), Despina Cosi fan Tutte, Pepi Wiener Blut, Luisa Viva la Mamma, Cinderella/Griselda in Alma Deutscher's Cinderella, Raka Die Blume von Hawaii, Barbarina Le Nozze di Figaro, Leni/Fraulein Bürstner The Trial (Salzburger Landestheater), Giannetta The Elixir of Love, Anne Trulove The Rake's Progress (Extracts), Fräulein Bürstner/Leni The Trial, Caterina L'amico Fritz, and Uccellina Bambino (Scottish Opera), Musetta La Bohème (St John’s, Smith Square), Constance Les Dialogues des Carmelites (Scottish Ballet), Susanna Le Nozze di Figaro (Garsington Opera on tour and RCS), Silberklang Der Shauspieldirektor (Pop-Up Opera), Nannetta Falstaff (Opera Bohemia), Vixen The Cunning Little Vixen (British Youth Opera), Susanna Le Nozze di Figaro, Papagena Die Zauberflöte, Minerva Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria, Servilia La Clemenza di Tito, Lisette La Rondine, and Anne Page Sir John in Love (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). She has also covered Despina Cosi fan Tutte (Scottish Opera) and Elvira L’Italiana in Algiri (Garsington Opera).

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Upcoming engagements include Adele Die Fledermaus, Serpetta La Finta Giardiniera, the soprano soloist in a staged version of Haydn's Die Schöpfung in Salzburg's Felsenreitschule and Pippa in the World Premiere of Alma Deutscher's Die Kaisers neue Walzer.

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