BIOGRAPHY
Simone McIntosh is a Swiss-Canadian mezzo-soprano known for her versatility across repertoire ranging from baroque to contemporary, with a particular affinity for agile coloratura singing. She represented Canada at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2023, where she was a finalist in the Art Song Competition.
A prizewinner in numerous international competitions, McIntosh was awarded First Prize Laureate in the Concours Musical International de Montréal – Aria Division, Second Prize and Best Mezzo-Soprano at Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg , and was the recipient of the Igor Gorin Memorial Award. Earlier accolades include Second Prize with Concours OSM, the Manetti-Sherem Vocal Prize, and Wirth Vocal Prize.
McIntosh has performed on major opera stages across Europe and North America, including San Francisco Opera, the Canadian Opera Company, Opernhaus Zürich, Scottish Opera and Oper am Rhein. In the current season, she made her debut at both the Bayerische Staatsoper and Staatsoper Hannover. Upcoming engagements in 2025/26 include debuts at the Staatsoper Hamburg, Teatro Real and Bühnen Bern.
She is especially celebrated in bel canto repertoire, with signature roles including Angelina (La Cenerentola), Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Anna (Maometto Secondo), and Romeo (I Capuleti e i Montecchi). Other notable roles include Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel, Arsamene in Serse, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro and Proserpina/La Speranza in L'Orfeo. In the 2025/26 season, she will be debuting the roles of Adalgisa in Norma, Sesto in Giulio Cesare, Dorabella in Cosí fan tutte and Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
An active recitalist, McIntosh has appeared with Music in the Morning, the Richard Bradshaw Free Concert Series, the Schwabacher Recital Series, Toronto Summer Music Festival, and SongFest. Her recital and chamber repertoire spans a wide range, with a strong emphasis on German and French art song. She frequently performs works by Schubert, Strauss, Schoenberg, Berg, Duparc, and Poulenc. Notable featured pieces include Messiaen’s Harawi, Respighi’s Il tramonto, and John Harbison’s Motetti di Montale.
Within Canada’s vibrant contemporary music scene, McIntosh has been involved in the development, performance, and recording of new operas and song cycles with organizations such as Tapestry Opera, the Canadian Opera Company, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and McGill’s Schulich School of Music.
She is an alumna of the International Opera Studio at Opernhaus Zürich, the Adler Fellowship Program at San Francisco Opera, and the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio. Additional training includes fellowships with Merola Opera, SongFest, Toronto Summer Music Festival, and the Banff Centre. McIntosh holds an MMus from McGill University’s Schulich School of Music and a BMus from the University of British Columbia, in her hometown of Vancouver.
