Biography
Photo by Bruce Bennett for the Palm Beach Opera
About the Artist
A musical life
Ashlyn was born in Palm Springs, CA on a hot Autumnal day. Growing up in a musical family, singing has always been a part of her life.
Ashlyn Brown is a lyric-mezzo soprano making her role debut of Dorabella in Così fan tutte as a Fleming Artist at the Aspen Music Festival. There, she will also sing as the alto soloist in Handel’s “Messiah” there. Most recently, Ashlyn debuted the roles of Stéphano (Roméo et Juliette) and Flora Bevoix (La Traviata) as is covered the role of Cherubino (Le Nozze di Figaro) as a Laufer Young Artist with the Palm Beach Opera. . Prior engagements include the Santa Fe Opera (Apprentice Singer), Palm Beach Opera (Apprentice Artist), and the Sarasota Opera (Apprentice Artist). Last summer, Ashlyn made her mainstage and professional debut as the Zweite Adlige Weise (Der Rosenkavalier) and Woman 2/ The Event Planner (The Righteous). Additional roles include Ottavia (L'incoronazione di Poppea), Cherubino (Le Nozze di Figaro), Hansel (Hansel and Gretel), Amastre (Xerxes), Berta (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), and Aloès (L’Étoile) at the Indiana University Opera Theater. During her Masters of Music at Indiana University- Jacobs School of Music, Ashlyn studied under Carol Vaness.
Ashlyn was recently a finalist in the miOpera International Vocal Competition. In recent news, Ashlyn was one of the Florida District winners in the Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition and competed in the Southeast Regionals in Atlanta, GA . Additionally, she received an Honorable Mention in the 2024 Kyrenia Opera Cyprus Vocal Competition. Competitions and awards from 2023-2024 season include the Palm Springs Opera Guild Vocal Competition (runner-up), Pasadena Vocal Competition (semi-finalist), and the Annapolis Vocal Competition (Jessica's Voice Encouragement Award), Donald and Luke Grahm Memorial Award (Santa Fe Opera). In 2023, she was a finalist in the D’Angelo Young Vocal Competition and was also a semi-finalist in many competitions including the SAS Performing Arts Vocal Competition, Pasadena Vocal Competition, and the Opera Index Vocal Competition.
In 2022, Ashlyn performed in many competitions such as the Palm Springs Opera Guild Vocal Competition (runner-up), Camerata Bardi International Vocal Competition (semi-finalist), Brava! Opera & James M. Collier Vocal Competition (finalist), Piccola Opera NH Opera Idol Competition (finalist). In 2021, her competitions included the James Toland Vocal Arts Competition (semi-finalist), Pasadena Vocal Competition (finalist), as well in the Bloomington Chapter’s National Society of Arts and Letters Voice Competition (first place). In 2020, Ashlyn competed in the James Toland Vocal Arts Competition (Bonnie Bell Encouragement Award). In 2019, she was recognized by the Illinois District in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Competition (Encouragement Award). Ashlyn has also done oratorio work as the alto soloist in Mozart’s "Requiem" (Carmel Symphony, 2019 | The Church of Bethesda-By-The Sea, 2023) and the Soloist in Manuel de Falla's "Three-Cornered Hat: Complete Ballet" (Atlantic Classical Orchestra, 2024).