"Soprano Catherine Goode (innocent Gilda) possesses a silvery bright soprano and the inner radiance of a Renaissance penitent...what a voice, neatly navigating Verdi's treacherous filigree in her classics “Caro nome," “Tutte le feste al tempio;" and “V'ho ingannato." Her thrilling sound rides easily over anything Verdi throws at her. Beautiful work.”
Houston Press
Photo by Pin Lim
Praised for her “silvery bright soprano” (Houston Press) and "delicious interpretation" (Arts Louisville), coloratura soprano Catherine Goode's 2023-2024 season includes a house debut with Opera Birmingham, where she sings Helen’s Voice in the world premiere of touch, and a return to Opera in the Heights, where she sings Clara in The Light in the Piazza. Her 2022-2023 season included role and house debuts at Central City Opera (Krysia—Two Remain; Adele [cover & family performance]—Die Fledermaus) and Salt Marsh Opera (Lauretta—Gianni Schicchi; The Plaintiff—Trial by Jury) and role debuts at Kentucky Opera (Della—The Gift of the Magi) and Opera in the Heights (Gilda—Rigoletto). From 2020 to 2022, Catherine performed with Virginia Opera (Woglinde—Das Rheingold; Kenzie—Earth to Kenzie (film); Musetta (cover)—La bohème; Barbarina (Susanna cover)—Le nozze di Figaro), Kentucky Opera (Amore (Euridice cover)—Orfeo ed Euridice), Merola Opera Program, and Opera in the Heights (Lucia and Susanna in a concert of highlights from Lucia di Lammermoor and Le nozze di Figaro). Cancellations due to COVID-19 included Dew Fairy (Hansel and Gretel) with Kentucky Opera; Lady with a Hand Mirror in Argento’s Postcard from Morocco and Barbarina cover in Le nozze di Figaro (Merola Opera Program); and Drusilla in The Poppea Project (a new production of The Coronation of Poppea) with Opera Columbus.
In the 2019-2020 season, she was in the inaugural Resident Artist Program with Opera Columbus and Capital University. As a 2018-2019 Herndon Foundation Emerging Artist with Virginia Opera, she covered Adina (L’elisir d’amore) and sang Kate Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly). Catherine spent two summers as an Apprentice Artist with Des Moines Metro Opera, covering Cunegonde (Candide, 2019) and Controller (Flight, 2018). She spent the summers of 2016 and 2017 as an Emerging Artist at Seagle Festival, performing Young Veronica in the world premiere of Evan Mack’s Roscoe and Königin der Nacht (Die Zauberflöte).
Jessica Osber Photography
Photo by Pin Lim
As a frequent soloist, Catherine has sung the soprano solo in works ranging from Carmina Burana and Messiah to major choral works by Mozart and Rutter. A lover of collaborative performances and an avid recitalist, she regularly performs the works of both living and female composers and strives for innovative programming. Recent recital performances include Living Voices: Music by Living American Composers, at which she gave the world premiere of Mark Buller’s Schlechtesübersetzung-lieder. In 2016, she presented The Story of Cinderella, a pastiche production telling the Cinderella narrative using art songs, arias, ensembles, and chants composed by women. The Story of Cinderella earned her a fellowship with Crested Butte Music Festival's RISE Camp in the summer of 2020. Catherine has had competition success in Alabama, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas. She was an MONC—Great Lakes Region Finalist in 2020 and was awarded First Place at the 2020 Harold Haugh Light Opera Vocal Competition. Catherine is also a member of mirabai, a professional women's ensemble.
A native of Friendswood, Texas, Catherine completed Bachelor of Music degrees, summa cum laude, in vocal performance and music education from the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music. She studied voice with soprano Cynthia Clayton and worked with opera director Buck Ross. Catherine completed a Master of Music degree in vocal performance at Michigan State University, where she studied with soprano Melanie Helton.