A supremely versatile performer, and the youngest ever prize-winner of the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, Irish mezzo-soprano Patricia Bardon is in demand for repertoire ranging from the Baroque through to Rossini and Wagner. Her distinguished career has brought numerous opportunities to collaborate in both opera and concert performances with a wide range of conductors such as James Levine, Zubin Mehta, Bernard Haitink, Sir Antonio Pappano, Mark Elder, William Christie, Christophe Rousset, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Fabio Luisi, Harry Bicket, Ivor Bolton and Christoph Eschenbach.

Highlights in the 2014/15 season include the title-roles in Rossini’s Tancredi with the Russian National Orchestra conducted by Alberto Zedda and the world stage premiere by Peter Sellars of John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary at English National Opera, as well as Carmen with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Fabio Mechetti and concerts in Moscow, London, Zurich and Amsterdam.

Having studied in Dublin with Dr Veronica Dunne, Patricia's career embraces an impressive diversity of roles. Erda in the Grammy-award-winning production of Der Ring des Nibelungen at The Metropolitan Opera (DVD/Deutsche Grammophon), La Nourrice (Ariane et Barbe Bleu) for Gran Teatre del Liceu (DVD/Opus Arte), her highly-acclaimed interpretation of Azucena (Il Trovatore) at Welsh National Opera, her creation of the title role in Saariaho's Adriana Mater in Paris, her glowing reviews last season for Carmen in Los Angeles - a role she has recorded for Chandos - and her Laurence Olivier Nomination for Maurya (Riders to the Sea) at ENO are all testament to an exceptional artistic versatility.

An acclaimed Baroque and bel canto singer, highlights have included the title roles in Giulio Cesare at The Liceu, Orlando for the Opéra national de Paris (CD/Erato) and Rinaldo for Oper Köln as well as Cornelia (Giulio Cesare) for Bayerische Staatsoper, The Metropolitan Opera and Glyndebourne Festival Opera (DVD/Opus Arte). She has sung Rosmira (Partenope) for Lyric Opera of Chicago and ENO (Olivier nomination for outstanding achievement in Opera), Andronico (Tamerlano) in Los Angeles, Washington DC, Amsterdam and Madrid and most recently Zenobia (Radamisto) for Theater an der Wien and at Carnegie Hall. Bel canto highlights include Tancredi and Arsace (Semiramide) for La Fenice, Calbo (Il Maometto Secondo) for Santa Fe Opera, Smeaton (Anna Bolena) for San Francisco Opera, Cenerentola for La Monnaie, and Malcolm (La donna del Lago) for the Edinburgh International Festival (CD/Opera Rara). In earlier repertoire Patricia received critical acclaim for her performances of Penelope (Il ritorno di Ulisse) at the Staatsoper Berlin, Maggio Musicale, Amsterdam and Athens, and for her portrayal of Ottavia (L'incoronazione di Poppea) in Oslo (DVD/EuroArts).

Enjoying an ongoing relationship with the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Patricia has appeared there in productions of Guillaume Tell, Mefistofele, Rigoletto, Moise in Egitto, The Rake’s Progress (earning an Olivier nomination) and most recently in Richard Jones’ acclaimed staging of Gloriana (DVD). 

Patricia has extensive concert experience and has performed with the New York Philharmonic, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Philharmonia Orchestra and the Orchestra Filharmonica della Scala in repertoire including St Matthew Passion, Gurrelieder, Verdi’s Messa di Requiem, Berlioz’ Roméo et Juliette and the Mahler Symphonies.