Carrie-Ann Matheson has a multi-faceted international career as pianist, conductor and educator. A native of Canada, Ms. Matheson began her career at the Metropolitan Opera, where she was a tenured member of the full-time music staff as assistant conductor, prompter, pianist and vocal coach. Her career expanded to Europe in 2014 when she was invited by then General Music Director Fabio Luisi to join the staff at Opernhaus Zürich. Especially in demand as a recital pianist, she has performed in recital with many of the world’s most renowned opera singers, including Rolando Villazón, Benjamin Bernheim, Jonas Kaufmann, Piotr Beczała, Diana Damrau, Thomas Hampson, Barbara Bonney and Joyce DiDonato.
Ms. Matheson assisted renowned conductors such as James Levine, Fabio Luisi, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, and Gianandrea Noseda before making her conducting debut in 2015 at Opernhaus Zürich, where she has conducted works such as La Finta Giardiniera, Don Pasquale and Iphigénie en Tauride, among others.
Passionate about nurturing the next generation of opera singers and pianists, Ms. Matheson is the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Opera Center and Merola Opera Program. She has long worked with the the world’s leading young artist programs, including the International Opera Studio (Opernhaus Zürich), Atkins Young Artist Program (The Mariinsky Theatre), Lindemann Young Artist Development Program (The Metropolitan Opera), Ryan Opera Center (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Music Academy of the West, Aspen Music Festival and the International Vocal Arts Institute.
Ms. Matheson’s 2022-23 performances season include a recital tour of Germany, Switzerland and Austria with tenor Rolando Villazón, recitals in Frankfurt, Strasbourg, Munich and Verbier with tenor Benjamin Bernheim and a recital in Zurich with mezzo-soprano Stephanie D’Oustrac.