Robin Hansen

Soprano Robin Hansen moved back to Seattle in spring of 2021, after a 28-year stay in the San Francisco Bay area. She has been teaching voice since 2001. In her Joyful Voice Studio (on Zoom since 2020), she loves teaching voice for beginning to intermediate singers, age 8 to 89.

During her time in the Bay Area, Robin Hansen performed and directed in both professional and church settings. Professional activities included music director for adult and children'ts choirs at San Carlos UCC and for three summer theatre camps at Tabard Theatre in San Jose, interim music director at St. Matthew Episcopal Church in San Mateo, and chorus manager for Peninsula Girls Chorus from 2013 to 2016. She also taught K-5 music at St. Raymond Catholic School in Menlo Park for 4 years, and preschool music for 3 years at St. Paul’s Nursery School in Burlingame. She served as Chorus Manager for Peninsula Girls Chorus from 2013 to 2016. In 2016 she also served as Vocal Director for a one-week musical theatre camp for San Carlos Children’s Theatre, under the auspices of San Mateo Parks and Recreation. In 2016-17, Robin taught middle school chorus and was vocal director for HOW TO EAT LIKE A CHILD at North Shoreview Montessori. She taught preschool music at The Children's Place in San Carlos from 2017 to 2020. In spring 2018, Robin was Music Director for Kennedy Middle School's production of Lion King, Jr. She also music directed PINOCCHIO for Pied Piper Players that year, and PETER PAN for The King's Academy in 2019.

A lyric-coloratura soprano, Robin sang with several Bay Area opera companies, including the role of Marcellina in THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO with San Francisco Cabaret Opera. For Mission City Opera (Santa Clara) she has served variously as chorus master and supertitle creator/editor/operator for DIE FLEDERMAUS, CARMEN, MAGIC FLUTE and LA BOHEME, and performed in Madama Butterfly. She also chorus mastered for Golden Gate Opera (San Rafael) for their Carmen in 2005, as well as performing with the chorus onstage in that production and in Madama Butterfly; she also had a featured role in GGO's Suor Angelica. Robin also sang in Trinity Lyric Opera's inaugural production of Ralph Vaughn-Williams' Pilgrim’s Progress. Most recently, Robin sang in West Bay Opera's production of LA BOHEME in fall of 2019.

From 2008 to 2016, Robin sang with the STOCTET, a 22-voice choir based in Campbell, CA performing 2 concerts yearly. 2020 marked her 20th full season with Masterworks Chorale, a semi-professional chorus performing 4 concert sets annually, based in San Mateo, CA. Highlights with Masterworks included soprano soloist in Brahms' Requiem, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, and the role of The Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors. Robin also conducted the Masterworks Holiday Popup Choir from 2016-2019.

Musical theatre performances in California included Hillbarn Theatre's sell-out production of THE MUSIC MAN, Nimue in CAMELOT at Pacifica Spindrift Players, and Queen Aggravaine in ONCE UPON A MATTRESS with Sunnyvale Community Players. No stranger to musical revues, she performed for five seasons with The Highlighters, a group of artists presenting previews for Broadway by the Bay. Robin was also previously manager/director of an intimate vocal ensemble, BRIO, presenting holiday and other choral repertoire to local audiences.

Robin received her pre-college “basic training” in 5 seasons of 19th Century Repertory Theatre at Washington State University’s Summer Palace. This was a well rounded experience including performing in the marching band and as a dance hall gal, as well as acting in such favorites as Bertha, the Sewing Machine Girl, Under the Gaslight, and The Tragical History of Richard the Third. While majoring in theatre at Cornell University, she appeared in seven Gilbert & Sullivan productions, notably as the Plaintiff in TRIAL BY JURY and as Rose Maybud in RUDDIGORE, as well as innovative productions of Lorca’s YERMA and Seneca’s OEDIPUS.

Robin spent eight years in New York City, where she performed leading roles in THE MIKADO, PIRATES OF PENZANCE, RUDDIGORE, IOLANTHE and PATIENCE with the NY Gilbert & Sullivan Players and appeared in several operas and concerts with the Bronx Opera and Brooklyn Opera Society. She also performed in productions of SHOWBOAT, MAN OF LA MANCHA, PAL JOEY, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, THE FANTASTICKS, and in children’s theater productions in Manhattan and Long Island.

Pre-California, Robin spent seven seasons with Seattle Opera, singing with such local favorites as Carol Vaness and Ruth Ann Swenson, and embodying nobles, urchins, spirits and ladies of the evening as required by the librettist’s pen and the whim (or whimsy) of world-class directors and conductors. During this time she also made her debut as Queen of the Night in Boise Opera’s MAGIC FLUTE, performed leading roles in Ohio Light Opera’s productions of THE VAGABOND KING, HMS PINAFORE, and Strauss’ WIENER BLUT; was a Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in Seattle; and appeared as soloist with the Seattle Choral Company performing the “Brindisi” and Violetta’s double aria from La Traviata. Her time with Seattle opera was bookended with THE BALLAD OF BABY DOE as her first and last productions with that company (as chorus and Friend of Augusta, respectively).

Robin Hansen, Joyful Voice Studio * joyfulvoice@sbcglobal.net * (650) 278-2707