New York native Deirdre Lahiff is a mezzo-soprano with musical interests in genres spanning musical theatre and art song to opera and oratorio. She is at home both on and off the stage, with experience as both a seasoned performer and music director. She will begin her 2025/2026 season with a concert performance of Carmen under the direction of acclaimed pianist William Lewis.

Deirdre was most recently seen onstage as a Studio Artist with Opera Maine, where she performed the English Teacher and Maid III in Gregory Spear's chamber opera Paul's Case under the direction of Richard Gammon and covered the Beggar Woman in Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street under the direction of Dona D. Vaughn. While in Portland, Maine, Deirdre had the immense pleasure of joining American Artists Project, where she was featured in recital. 

Deirdre’s 2024/2025 season included a return to Cedar Rapids Opera to sing Dame Doleful in Edwin Penhorwood’s Too Many Sopranos, where she also performed scenes from Dvořák’s Rusalka as Ježibaba and Verdi’s Otello as Emilia. She made her third appearance with Cedar Rapids Opera singing the title role in their educational outreach performance of Rusalka, which toured local schools and community centers in the Cedar Rapids area. Deirdre is a former Smith Young Artist with Cedar Rapids Opera, where she performed in their production of Tosca and was featured in recital. 

An avid soloist, Deirdre can frequently be heard on the concert stage. Deirdre performed as the soprano soloist in Ravel’s Trois Chansons conducted by Kessa Mefford, where she is also featured on recording. A dynamic self-starter, Deirdre’s 2023/2024 season also included the creation and production of her own recital series, Sounds of Spring, which debuted in Spring 2024. Now in its second year, Deirdre collaborates with pianists William Lewis and Seth Herbst to give performances in New York City and New York’s Hudson Valley.  

Deirdre’s 2022/2023 season included role debuts as Adalgisa in Bellini’s Norma and the title role in Puccini’s Suor Angelica under the direction of Dan Montez. At NYU Deirdre was featured in scenes from Le nozze di Figaro, Die Zauberflöte, and performed the roles of Idamante (Idomeneo), First Witch (Dido & Aeneas), and Eurydice (Orpheus in the Underworld). She was also featured in recital in collaboration with the Classical Voice Collective. Deirdre earned her Master of Music degree from New York University Steinhardt in the studio of soprano Rosa Vento and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Providence College in the studio of soprano Sarah Dunn. 

When Deirdre is not performing, she can most likely be found hiking with her rescue dog Prince, recipe testing and cooking for her family and friends, or deeply immersed in the newest thriller novel. For more information about Deirdre, please visit www.deirdrelahiff.com