Described by Opera UK as a "heroine [with] poise, expressive singing, excellent vocalism, and a dark and full tone", Canadian soprano Kirsten MacKinnon has captured the attention of audiences across North America and Europe. A Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition winner, and a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music under the mentorship of Professor Edith Wiens, she held the Alfred Greenberg Memorial fellowship during her studies, and was also a grant holder of the Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation for Young Canadian Opera Singers.

Highlights on the opera stage for Kirsten include Contessa Almaviva with Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and Opéra de Montréal, a return to Canadian Opera Company and Glyndebourne Festival as Fiordiligi Così fan tutte; her Frankfurt Opera debut as Inès L’Africaine, described by Heute Musik as “dreamlike”, where she later returned for the Countess Capriccio, Micaëla Carmen, the Countess Le nozze di Figaro and Hanna Glawari The Merry Widow; Micaëla at Opera Philadelphia, Helena A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Aix-en-Provence Festival on tour to Beijing, Pamina Die Zauberflöte and Countess Le nozze di Figaro for Garsington Opera.

In addition to her operatic engagements, Kirsten has performed in concert under the baton of Maestro Zubin Mehta as well as with the Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Curtis Chamber Orchestra and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. She has also given recitals in Vancouver, Philadelphia, New York, Bayreuth, Neumarkt, and Spoleto.

Kirsten’s credits for the Curtis Opera Theatre include Mimì La bohème, Die Gräfin Capriccio, Countess Le nozze di Figaro, Die Echo Ariadne auf Naxos, title role Iolanta, La Ciesca Gianni Schicchi, Elettra Idomeneo, Fox Cunning Little Vixen, Micäela Carmen, Lisa La Sonnambula and Mrs Gobineau The Medium. Kirsten has also sung Annina La traviata with Opera Philadelphia; Nella Gianni Schicchi with Chautauqua Music Festival.