Described as having a voice that “dazzles” with a “treacle-rich middle register” and a “full and rich top”, Karen Cargill has firmly established herself as one of the leading singers of her generation with upcoming engagements at the Metropolitan Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Dutch National Opera, Canadian Opera Company and Norwegian National Opera. Equally established on the concert stage, Karen regularly appears with conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Daniel Harding, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Robin Ticciati, Rafael Payare and Edward Gardner.

Her 25/26 season includes several important operatic engagements including Judith Bluebeard’s Castle at the Canadian Opera Company and Adelaide Arabella at the Metropolitan Opera. Karen will also sing Geneviève Pelléas et Mélisande with Ryan Wigglesworth and the BBC SSO; Waltraute Götterdämmerung with Patrick Hahn and the Sinfonieorchester Wuppertal; Judith Bluebeard’s Castle with Rafael Payare and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. Especially recognised for her interpretation of Mahler, Karen will perform Mahler 2 both with the Staatskapelle Berlin conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, and with the BBCSSO conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles; and Mahler 3 with the Helsinki Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste. In addition, Karen will also appear with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra in La Damnation de Faust, conducted by Rafael Payare.

Her 2024/25 season saw her return to the role of Brangäne Tristan und Isolde at the Glyndebourne Festival, with Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and with Sir Simon Rattle and the Bayerischer Rundfunk Orchestra. She also made her role debut as Brigitte Die Tote Stadt in concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons; returned to the Montreal Symphony Orchestra for Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder with Rafael Payare; the San Francisco Symphony for Verdi’s Requiem with Esa-Pekka Salonen; the Toronto Symphony for Mozart’s Requiem with Jukka-Pekka Saraste; and the San Diego Symphony for Mahler Symphony no. 3 with Rafael Payare.

With her recital partner Simon Lepper Karen has performed at Wigmore Hall London; Concertgebouw Amsterdam; Kennedy Centre Washington and Carnegie Hall New York, and regularly gives recitals for BBC Radio 3. With Simon, Karen also recently recorded a critically acclaimed recital of Lieder by Alma and Gustav Mahler for Linn Records, for whom she has previously recorded Berlioz Les nuits d’été and La mort de Cléopâtre with Robin Ticciati and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Karen is Patron of the National Girls’ Choir of Scotland and sang in the National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication for King Charles III following his Coronation in 2023.