About

24-year-old American soprano Sydney Penny currently studies at the Hochschule für Musik Würzburg with Prof. Christianne Stotijn. Sydney discovered her musical talent at a young age, having perfect pitch, and was a viola player with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra. Sydney recently played the roles Helena in Purcell’s A Midsimmer Night’s Dream, Madame Herz in Mozarts Der Schauspieldirektor, as well as Bubikopf in Ullmann’s Kaiser von Atlantis, and Papagena in Die Zauberflöte. She originated the role of Nausicaa in Benjamin Perry Wenzelberg’s world premiere opera "NIGHTTOWN", as well as Papagena and 1st Spirit in Mozart's "The Magic Flute", Zerlina (cover) in Mozart's Don Giovanni, Patience in the operetta, Patience, Serpina in Pergolesi's intermezzo La Serva Padrona, Mabel in the operetta Pirates of Penzance, and Lily in The Secret Garden. She has had success in regional and international competitions, and recently she was a semi-finalist in the prestigious Veronica Dunne Bursary for Young Singers and among the top 40 singers in the well-known annual "Classical Singer" competition. Sydney was selected to be a participant in the 2023 “Das Lied International Song Competition” in Heidelberg, Germany. Last year she won 1st prize for classical singing in the “NATS” competition in Boston, USA. She was also a member of the Tanglewood Festival Choir, main choir of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Sydney completed her bachelor's degree at Harvard University (majoring in German/literature) with a major in German/comparative studies, and is now based in Würzburg, Germany.