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A vivacious, multifaceted performer, soprano Karla Hughes has
delighted audiences in opera, operetta, oratorio, musical theater,
and theater. Hailed as having a “bright girlish soprano” (Opera
News), being “nimble of voice and feet” (The Toledo Blade),
and having “a superb acting talent” (The Daily Record) she is
equally talented as a vocalist, actress, and dancer. Karla has
portrayed Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Ellen in Lakmé, and
Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro with Michigan Opera Theater,
Flora in Turn of the Screw with the Toledo Opera, Mabel in
The Pirates of Penzance, Yum-Yum in The Mikado, and
Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof with The Ohio Light Opera, and
Sophie in Terrrence McNally’s Master Class with Chamber
Theater (Milwaukee).
Other roles performed include Oscar in Verdi’s A Masked Ball,
Frasquita in Carmen, Norina in Don Paquale, Cunegonde in
Candide, Lucy in The Telephone, Olympia in Les Contes d’
Hoffmann, Christel in Der Vogelhändler, Anna I in Kurt
Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins, Christine in Maury Yeston’s
Phantom, and Lydia Bennet in the world premiere of Jane
Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
With her small stature, youthful appearance, and strong
movement skills, Karla is exceptionally gifted with her
portrayals of children’s and “ina” roles. In Britten’s Turn of
the Screw she was described as “exceedingly convincing as
Flora and sang very well in a bright, girlish soprano” (Opera
News Online) and in Don Giovanni “her sweetish voice tinged
with just the right touch of tartness, was a sexed-to-the-gills
Zerlina whose hormones had clearly outpaced her street
smarts” (Opera Canada).“
delighted audiences in opera, operetta, oratorio, musical theater,
and theater. Hailed as having a “bright girlish soprano” (Opera
News), being “nimble of voice and feet” (The Toledo Blade),
and having “a superb acting talent” (The Daily Record) she is
equally talented as a vocalist, actress, and dancer. Karla has
portrayed Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Ellen in Lakmé, and
Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro with Michigan Opera Theater,
Flora in Turn of the Screw with the Toledo Opera, Mabel in
The Pirates of Penzance, Yum-Yum in The Mikado, and
Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof with The Ohio Light Opera, and
Sophie in Terrrence McNally’s Master Class with Chamber
Theater (Milwaukee).
Other roles performed include Oscar in Verdi’s A Masked Ball,
Frasquita in Carmen, Norina in Don Paquale, Cunegonde in
Candide, Lucy in The Telephone, Olympia in Les Contes d’
Hoffmann, Christel in Der Vogelhändler, Anna I in Kurt
Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins, Christine in Maury Yeston’s
Phantom, and Lydia Bennet in the world premiere of Jane
Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
With her small stature, youthful appearance, and strong
movement skills, Karla is exceptionally gifted with her
portrayals of children’s and “ina” roles. In Britten’s Turn of
the Screw she was described as “exceedingly convincing as
Flora and sang very well in a bright, girlish soprano” (Opera
News Online) and in Don Giovanni “her sweetish voice tinged
with just the right touch of tartness, was a sexed-to-the-gills
Zerlina whose hormones had clearly outpaced her street
smarts” (Opera Canada).“
As a concert soloist, Karla has performed a wide range of repertoire from the soprano soloist in Carmina Burana with the
Toledo Ballet to scenes from Carmen as Frasquita with the Milwaukee Symphony. Other soloist performances include the
soprano soloist in Poulenc’s Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes, Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb,
Mozart’s Requiem, and Vivaldi’s Gloria. In 2011 Karla made her Lincoln Center debut in Avery Fisher Hall as the Soprano
Soloist in Mozart’s Coronation Mass, KV 317 "Kronungsmesse", presented by Distinguished Concerts International New
York (DCINY).
Karla is equally comfortable on stage as an actress and dancer. As a dancer, Karla has studied Ballet/Pointe, Jazz, Tap,
Modern, and Belly Dance. As an actress, Karla has studied with Sandra Bernhard, Kristine McIntyre, and Marie Allyn King
utilizing several different methods including Wesley Balk and Stanislavski.
An accomplished musician, Karla has played the Flute and Piccolo for eighteen years. She double majored in Flute and
Voice at Colorado State University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music (major) and History (minor). She earned a
Master of Music in Opera Performance at Wichita State University where she studied with Dr. Vernon Yenne and later, Dr.
George Gibson.
Toledo Ballet to scenes from Carmen as Frasquita with the Milwaukee Symphony. Other soloist performances include the
soprano soloist in Poulenc’s Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes, Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb,
Mozart’s Requiem, and Vivaldi’s Gloria. In 2011 Karla made her Lincoln Center debut in Avery Fisher Hall as the Soprano
Soloist in Mozart’s Coronation Mass, KV 317 "Kronungsmesse", presented by Distinguished Concerts International New
York (DCINY).
Karla is equally comfortable on stage as an actress and dancer. As a dancer, Karla has studied Ballet/Pointe, Jazz, Tap,
Modern, and Belly Dance. As an actress, Karla has studied with Sandra Bernhard, Kristine McIntyre, and Marie Allyn King
utilizing several different methods including Wesley Balk and Stanislavski.
An accomplished musician, Karla has played the Flute and Piccolo for eighteen years. She double majored in Flute and
Voice at Colorado State University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music (major) and History (minor). She earned a
Master of Music in Opera Performance at Wichita State University where she studied with Dr. Vernon Yenne and later, Dr.
George Gibson.
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