Caroline Kouma

Caroline Kouma, soprano, is a versatile artist equally at home on the operatic stage and within the tapestry of an ensemble. A dynamic performer in opera and musical theatre, selected roles include Fiordiligi in Cosí fan tutte (BGSU), Semele in Semele (BGSU), Dew Fairy in Hansel and Gretel (LOON), Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance (Little LOON), Rosabella in The Most Happy Fella (BGSU), Meg in Little Women (Duluth Playhouse), and Heidi in [title of show] (OmniArts Nebraska). Originally from Nebraska, she has appeared as soprano soloist for such works as Bach’s Magnificat, Mealor’s Stabat Mater, and Poulenc’s Gloria. She has previously sung sounding light chamber choir in Michigan, Cantorei and the Abendmusik Concert Choir in Nebraska, and Internationales Vokalensemble Berlin in Germany. Possessing a strong interest in new music, Ms. Kouma has performed with ensembles at the Bowling Green and Toledo New Music Festivals, presenting works such as Steve Reich’s Tehillim, and was featured at soundSCAPE and Omaha Under the Radar festivals. She is a founding member and vocalist for (N/A) ensemble, with whom she has had the pleasure to premiere numerous avant-garde and experimental works.

A strong competitor, Caroline was the recipient of the Gary Jones Memorial and Opera Omaha Guild awards at the Nebraska district Metropolitan Opera auditions and was named District Winner in 2014-15. She was a 2017 graduate winner of the BGSU Concerto Competition and took first place awards at Ohio NATS (2018) and the Marjorie Conrad Art Song competition (2018). Ms. Kouma was also named a finalist in the Opera at Florham Vocal Competition in New Jersey (2018), Harold Haugh Light Opera Competition in Michigan (2019), and the Compostela Lírica in Santiago de Compostela, Spain (2019). This season, she looks forward to performing with Twin Ports Choral Project and Borealis, as well as taking on roles as a dater in Speed Dating Tonight! (LOON), Gretel in Hansel and Gretel (Little LOON), and Sister Sophia in The Sound of Music (Duluth Playhouse). Caroline holds Bachelor and Master of Music in Vocal Performance degrees and is proud to have served with the United States Peace Corps in Azerbaijan. In her free time, Caroline can be found exploring the rugged beauty of the north shore of Lake Superior.