Catherine Leech is an American mezzo-soprano specializing in opera, operetta, and French mélodies. The New York Times called her performance of Rosina in the New York premiere of Scarlatti’s Il Trionfo dell’Onore “notable,” and the Examiner has hailed her voice as “sublime.”
Catherine decided to become a musician at the age of twelve as a member of the Los Angeles Children’s’ Chorus (LACC). She continues to have a special place in her heart for LACC, and returned to the City of Angels in the spring of 2016 for their 30th Anniversary Gala. The Pasadena Star News reported Catherine Leech was the "highlight of the evening” as she "dazzled the crowd.”
Recently, Catherine performed in Boston Court Performing Arts Center’s Emerging Artists Series in Pasadena, presenting a semi-staged recital featuring pieces by Benjamin Britten, Joseph Canteloube, Alan L. Smith, Hilary Tann, Charles Ives, Frédéric Chopin, and Pauline Viardot. She also collaborated with Grant Gershon and David and Cheryl Scheidemantle on a program of aria and art song ensembles for violin, and worked with Mark Robson on his annual Christmas Concert. Other recent appearances include covering the role of Sarah Osborne in Beth Morrison Projects’ anatomy theater at the PROTOTYPE Festival, and performing with New York’s Utopia Opera in their productions of The Grand Duke and The Ballad of Baby Doe. Other New York appearances include Filli in Musica Nuova’s pasticcio production of Il Ballo delle Ingrate at Le Poisson Rouge, Marta in Opera Slavica’s Iolanta at the Bohemian National Hall, and Suzy in Opera of Brooklyn’s La Rondine. Catherine has also performed internationally as L’Enfant in L’Enfant et les Sortilèges at the Théâtre le Palace in Périgueux, France.
In Los Angeles, Catherine performed the role of Mad Margaret in Sierra Madre Playhouse’s Ruddigore to great acclaim. Lauri’s List described her performance as “impressive,” “supple,” “comic,” and “strong,” while the Stage Struck Review named her portrayal “just creepy enough.” Catherine also had the opportunity at the age of 15 to become the youngest singer ever to be featured as a soloist with the Los Angeles Master Chorale at Walt Disney Concert Hall in the premier of Billy Childs’ Voices of Angels under the baton of Grant Gershon.
Catherine completed her Masters in Music at Mannes the New School for Music in Manhattan and is a graduate of Yale University.