Hailed by Opera News as “vibrant,” soprano Katherine Polit is a passionate performer and educator. Recent appearances include Samuel Barber’s Knoxville, Summer of 1915 with San Diego State University’s Chamber Orchestra, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas and “The Best of Cole Porter” with Bodhi Tree Concerts, “Operatic Favorites” with Orchestra Santa Monica, Pamina in The Magic Flute with Pacific Symphony, and Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate with Helena Symphony. She apprenticed with Virginia Opera for two seasons and returned to their mainstage to perform the role of Ännchen in Der Freischütz. Her other notable operatic roles include Musetta (La Bohème), Nannetta (Falstaff), Clorinda (Rossini’s Cinderella), Despina (Così fan tutte), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Johanna (Sweeney Todd), and Josephine (H.M.S. Pinafore). She has been featured with The Ohio Light Opera, Opera Naples, Owensboro Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Evansville Philharmonic, Opera Louisiane, and Charlottesville Opera. In Southern California she has sung with San Diego Opera, La Jolla Symphony (Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass and Handel’s Messiah), The Del Mar International Composers Symposium, San Diego State University Symphony Orchestra, and North Coast Symphony Orchestra. Accolades include
being chosen as a finalist in both the Rochester Idol Competition and the Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation Competition. Katherine is currently a member of the voice faculty at at San Diego State University. She completed her Doctor of Music in Vocal Literature and Performance at Indiana University, where she received recognition for her excellence in recital with a Performer’s Certificate. She holds a Master of Music in Opera Performance from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Humanities and Arts from Carnegie Mellon University.