Paula grew up with traditional Irish Music in County Kerry, but despite immersing herself in music and performance at the National Folk Theatre of Ireland, she didn’t yet think of it as a viable career choice. But one day, looking after her younger sisters while her parents were away, Paula sent off the ‘change of mind’ form, changing her option from Primary School Teaching to Music Performance. Paula went on to train in Dublin, then onto the New England Conservatory in Boston, and onto a whole series of Young Artist and Apprenticeship Programmes from Britten Pears to the Merola Opera Programme among others, building the stamina and experience that would stand her in good stead in the future. When she felt she was probably done with Young Artist programmes, she was noticed by Bernd Loebe at the Neue Stimmen, and was offered a place in the newly-formed Studio at Oper Frankfurt. This led to her being a full time soloist at Oper Frankfurt, where she was able to explore a huge variety of roles, and take risks in a way she hadn’t been able to before. Now, Paula graces some of the world’s most fabulous stages, from her iconic performance in Barry Kosky’s Carmen in Frankfurt to the Bolshoi in Moscow where she is currently singing the title role in Ariodante, to the Salzburg Festival, to the Met and Santa Fe Opera among many brilliant others.

Read more about Paula on her agent’s website here and follow her on Instagram here