Kristina Costello

Biography

Kristina Costello is a New York based coloratura soprano. She was born in Staten Island, NY, and grew up on Long Island, NY.

She has a wide range of experience covering many styles and genres. 

Kristina has held leading roles in numerous contemporary operas that premiered in the Pittsburgh area. She has participated in the New York district rounds of the Laffont Competition. In 2020, she won the Michael Mayes Award at the Death by Aria Competition as part of the Utah Vocal Arts Academy. Her favorite roles include Romilda in Serse, Almirena in Rinaldo, Flora in Turn of the Screw, and Madame Goldentrill in The Impressario.

Kristina has attended various musique programs including Chicago Summer Opera, Queens Summer Vocal Institute, Classical Singing and New York in June, Utah Vocal Arts Academy, Songfest (Colburn Fellow), Oyster Bay Music Festival, and the Savannah Voice Festival. While at SVF, she worked closely with composer Michael Ching as Dater #38 in his Speed Dating, Tonight! Opera. At SongFest she has worked with composers Libby Larsen and John Musto.

At New England Conservatory she was the soprano soloist in Carmina Burana, Flora in Turn of the Screw, in the chorus of Dido and Aeneas,  Cunegonde in "Make our Garden Grow" in the Commencement Concert, and Constance (Dialogues Des Carmélites) and Despina (Così fan Tutte) in the Perkin Opera scenes. 

During her time at Carnegie Mellon, she sang a wide plethora of roles and repertoire, including, Flora in Turn of the Screw, Zémire (cover) in Zémire et Azor, Young Girl/ chorus in Le Nozze Di Figaro, and Almirena in Rinaldo. She was selected to perform Lascia ch’io pianga from Rinaldo at CMU’s commencement.​

Kristina aims to connect people with music and find ways to make classical music accessible for all. She has a passion for storytelling and collaboration with other singers and instrumentalists.

​Kristina received her Master's degree in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory where she studied with Jane Eaglen and Lisa Saffer. She received her BFA in Vocal Performance and Pennsylvania Music Education Certification from Carnegie Mellon University studying with Maria Spacagna. 

Having both a passion for performance and teaching, Kristina has a private voice studio. She loves teaching both in the public classroom setting and privately. Besides singing, Kristina loves playing the ukulele, cooking vegan food, and taking care of her pet Parrotlet, Luna.