soprano
Claire Griffin has been characterized as a classical vocalist, soloist, recitalist and thespian, but her treasured designation is “storyteller.” Striving to become a well-rounded “singing actress,” Griffin is in pursuance of her Master of Music as a member of the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute. She trains there under the guidance of Dr. Marilyn Taylor. A North Carolina local, the triad-based soprano hails from Brevard in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In her first year at UNCSA, she sang Nena in Pergolesi’s Lo frate ‘nnamorato and Catherine in a scene from Bolcom’s A View from the Bridge. In 2022, she completed her BM at UNC Greensboro where she studied with Carla LeFevre and coached with Arlene Shrut. During her undergraduate years, she was a winner of the 2022 UNCG Concerto Competition and appeared as a soloist with the UNCG Symphony Orchestra. Roles whilst at UNCG include Marie (The Bartered Bride), Adele (Die Fledermaus), Sister Genovieffa (Suor Angelica), Gretel (Hansel und Gretel), Lucy (The Telephone), Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), and Jenny Slade (Roman Fever). Additionally, Claire participated in UNCG Opera Theatre’s outreach program that brings short operas for children to local elementary schools.
Griffin made her professional debut with Piedmont Opera in March of 2024 singing Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro.
Upcoming 2025 engagements with the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute include Adele in Strauss, Jr.’s Die Fledermaus and Mag/Cissie Cassidy in Richard Wargo’s Ballymore. In the 2024 fall scenes program, she will sing Despina (Cosí fan tutte) and Maria Stuarda (Maria Stuarda). In December of 2024, Griffin will be the soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Brevard Music Center as a part of their Parker Concert Hall series.
Griffin joined the Janiec Opera Company of the Brevard Music Center in the summer of 2024 where she sang Polly Peachum in Kurt Weil’s The Threepenny Opera while covering Tina (Jonathan Dove’s Flight) and Musetta (La bohème). She spent her 2022 summer at the Aspen Music Festival as a Studio Artist in their Opera Theatre and VocalARTS program and she worked closely with Carol Vaness and Rachelle Flemming singing in operas, scenes (opera and musical theatre), song recitals, donor performances and numerous masterclasses. She was an artist with the Utah Vocal Arts Academy in 2021, where she performed Eurydice in a new translation of Offenbach’s Orphée aux enfers under the baton of Michaella Calzaretta.
For two consecutive years (2023 and 2024), Griffin was given an Encouragement Award in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition’s NC District. She was named a finalist in the 2021 Opera Grand Rapids VanderLaan Prize competition. In the 2020 National NATS Competition, Griffin was awarded first place in the Lower College Women category. She is a 2018 YoungArts winner in voice and won the Silver Award for Voice that same year. Claire had the honor of being a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts Semifinalist, also in 2018.
Before beginning her exploration into the operatic repertoire, Griffin was featured in the world premiere of new musical, Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz, where she sang the role of classical singer, Deanna Durbin. After debuting this role in 2015, she stayed with the project as it continued to the Goodspeed Opera House where she also covered the role of Judy Garland in 2016. She has participated in numerous NYC readings/stagings of Chasing Rainbows and has worked under directors Tyne Rafaeli, Jeff Whiting, and Dennis Jones.
biography
Claire Griffin has been characterized as a classical vocalist, soloist, recitalist and thespian, but her treasured designation is “storyteller.” She calls Brevard, North Carolina home and completed her Professional Artist Certificate and Master of Music degrees consecutively at UNCSA as a member of the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute in 2026. Her Bachelor of Music was obtained from UNC Greensboro in 2022.
In the 2025/2026 season, Claire will step into the roles of Mabel (The Pirates of Penzance with Greensboro Opera) , Ilia (Idomeneo), Créuse (Milhaud's Médée), and Sylvie (Gounod's La colombe).
Claire will join The Florentine Opera as a Donald and Donna Baumgartner Studio Artist for their 2026/2027 season. She will sing Annina (La Traviata), Nella (Gianni Schicchi), and Papagena (The Magic Flute). Touring to schools in the greater Milwaukee area, Claire will sing Gretel (Hansel and Gretel) in The Florentine Opera’s outreach program.
Claire joined the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra as the soprano soloist for Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 at the Washington National Cathedral in April 2026. Previous engagements with UNCSA include Adele (Die Fledermaus), Mag/Cissie Cassidy (Richard Wargo’s Ballymore), and Nena (Pergolesi’s Lo frate ‘nnamorato). During her undergraduate years, she was a winner of the 2022 UNCG Concerto Competition and appeared as a soloist with the UNCG Symphony Orchestra. Roles whilst at UNCG include Marie (The Bartered Bride), Adele (Die Fledermaus), Sister Genovieffa (Suor Angelica), Gretel (Hansel und Gretel), Lucy (The Telephone), Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), and Jenny Slade (Roman Fever). Claire made her professional debut with Piedmont Opera in March of 2024 singing Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro.
Claire returned to the Janiec Opera Company of the Brevard Music Center in 2025 where she sang Adina in L’elisir d’amore. In 2024, she sang Polly Peachum (The Threepenny Opera) while covering Tina (Jonathan Dove’s Flight) and Musetta (La bohème) with the JOC. She returned to BMC in December of 2024 as the Soprano Soloist (Handel’s Messiah) for their Parker Concert Hall Series. She spent her 2022 summer at the Aspen Music Festival as a Studio Artist in their Opera Theatre and VocalARTS program. She was an artist with the Utah Vocal Arts Academy in 2021, where she performed Eurydice in a new English translation of Offenbach’s Orphée aux enfers under the baton of Michaella Calzaretta.
Claire was awarded Second Place in the 2026 Lotte Lenya Competition that took place in Rochester, NY. In 2023 and 2024, Claire was recognized with an Encouragement Award in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition’s NC District. She was named a finalist in the 2021 Opera Grand Rapids VanderLaan Prize competition. In the 2020 National NATS Competition, Claire was awarded first place in the Lower College Women category. She is a 2018 YoungArts winner in voice and won the Silver Award for Voice that same year. Claire had the honor of being a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts Semifinalist, also in 2018.
Before beginning her exploration into the operatic repertoire, Claire was featured in the world premiere of new musical, Chasing Rainbows: A New Musical, where she sang the role of classical singer, Deanna Durbin. After debuting this role in 2015, she stayed with the project as it continued to the Goodspeed Opera House where she also covered the role of Judy Garland in 2016. She has participated in numerous NYC readings/stagings of Chasing Rainbows and has worked under directors Tyne Rafaeli, Jeff Whiting, and Dennis Jones.
