Described in the London Times as “outstanding in her impassioned embodiment of the drama”, Robyn Driedger-Klassen has been seen on many recital, concert and opera stages. Known particularly for her zeal for contemporary music, she has performed and premiered many fascinating works of living composers: R Murray Schafer, Kaija Saariaho, Jocelyn Morlock, Jeffrey Ryan, Ana Sokolovic, David McIntyre, Larry Nickel, Brian Current, Jake Heggie, Libby Larsen and Leslie Uyeda just to name a few.
Some of her favourite operatic roles include: Sophie (Werther), Naiade (Ariadne auf Naxos), Marzelline (Fidelio), Alexandra (Regina), Zaide (Zaide), Female Chorus (The Rape of Lucretia), The Governess (The Turn of the Screw), and Countess (Le Nozze di Figaro).
Highlights for the 2017-18 season include a concert of French chamber music with Vancouver’s Music on Main with Nicholas Wright, violin, and Grace Huang, piano; Schubert’s Der Hirt auf dem Felsen with the VSO Chamber Music Series; the premiere of a song cycle entitled Midnight Watch by Leslie Uyeda with pianist, Terence Dawson for the VSO New Music Festival; the VSO Pops Valentine’s concerts and Beethoven’s 9th symphony.
Robyn is Head of Voice at the Vancouver Academy of Music. She lives with her husband and two vocal critics under the age of five. She can bake a wicked loaf of bread and in recent times, has learned a considerable amount about monster trucks, dinosaurs and how to avoid Lego underfoot.