Australian lyric soprano Kiandra Howarth was a member of the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden from 2013-15. Whilst on the programme Kiandra performed and understudied many roles, including: Zweiten Blumenmädchen Parsifal, Eine der Kinderstimmen Die Frau ohne Schatten, Echo Ariadne auf Naxos, Fiordiligi Così fan tutte, Gilda and Contessa Ceprano Rigoletto, Giannetta and Adina L’elisir d’amore, Soeur Constance Les Dialogues des Carmélites, Juliette Roméo et Juliette, Susanna Le Nozze di Figaro, Mimi La bohème, Nannetta Falstaff, Ilia Idomeneo and Pamina Die Zauberflöte.
Having graduated with a Bachelor of Music from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in 2010, Kiandra subsequently went onto study on both the Opera Queensland (2011) and Opera Australia (2012) Young Artist Programmes. During this time Kiandra was awarded several prizes and awards, most notably a scholarship for one year’s study at the Mozarteum Institute in Salzburg, Austria from the Australian Singing Competition (2010) which she undertook in late 2012 after making her international debut in Tokyo, performing the role of Norina Don Pasquale for Opera Australia.
Whilst at the Mozarteum, Kiandra performed the role of Contessa Le Nozze di Figaro in a new production directed by the late Eike Gramss. She was subsequently invited to participate in the
2013 Salzburg Festival Young Singer’s Project, where she performed; Konstanze Die Entführung aus dem Serail für Kinder, Pamina Die Zauberflöte für Kinder, der Friedensbote Rienzi and Una voce dal Cielo Don Carlos conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano.
After graduating from the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme in July 2015, Kiandra was awarded the ‘Culturarte Prize’ in the 23rd Edition of Plácido Domingo’s Operalia - The World Opera Competition which was held at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. She then returned to the Royal Opera House for the 2015/16 season to cover the role of Zerlina Don Giovanni on a company tour to Japan and reprised the role of Echo Ariadne auf Naxos in Christof Loy’s beloved production.
In December 2015 Kiandra made her house role debut at Theatre an der Wien performing the role of First Niece in a new production of Peter Grimes, directed by Christof Loy which won the award for ‘Best New Production’ at The 2016 International Opera Awards.
Now based in the UK, Kiandra still continues to perform regularly throughout Australia. More recent appearances have included: Mozart Requiem with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Lauretta Gianni Schicchi for Western Australian Opera, Mahler Symphony 2 with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra and Cupid/Venus King Arthur for the 2016 Brisbane Baroque Festival.
In 2016/17 season Kiandra performed Fiordiligi Così fan tutte for West Green Opera, concert series in China for the Salzburg Festival Young Singers Project, concert at Wigmore Hall for Samling Programme’s 20th Anniversary, Pamina Die Zauberflöte Teatro dell’Aquila, Fermo, and a house role debut as Donna Anna in Richard Jones’ new production of Don Giovanni at Theater Basel.
During the 2017/18 season Kiandra made debuts in various opera houses across the UK and Europe, including; Opéra national de Lorraine, Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg, Northern Ireland Opera, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden and the Berliner Philharmonie.
Recent performances include; the UK premiere of Piramo in Hasse’s Piramo e Tisbe at Cadogan Hall and Euridice Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice both with Classical Opera Company, Kiandra has reprised the role of Donna Anna Don Giovanni for Guangzhou Opera House, and made role debuts as Woglinde/Freia Das Rheingold to great acclaim for the 2019 Grimeborn Festival.
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic many scheduled house and role debuts in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons have been postponed, including; Magda La Rondine for Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, Zemlinsky's Lyric Symphony at St John's Smith Square, Missa Solemnis with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra, recordings with The Mozartists and Michaela Carmen at The Royal Opera House.