Episode 6 of the Rhythms of Access podcast features Robin Hahn.
Robin is a joyfully disabled operatic soprano, stage director, music educator and disability advocate who has performed on stages around the world, from Germany to New York to Disneyland. Hailed as “sublime, with a beautiful resonant soprano full of colour” (Opera Canada), her recent performances include appearances as Ms Pinkerton in The Old Maid and the Thief; Nella in Gianni Schicchi; Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors; and as a soloist with the Music of the Night national concert tour.
As a stage director, Robin’s productions are recognized for reinterpreting and updating heteronormative stories, as well as for providing accessible theatre experiences for disabled audiences and performers alike. Most recently, she has directed queer, disabled, and covid-cautious productions of The Old Maid and the Thief; Hansel and Gretel; and The Pirates of Penzance, for which she was a winner of the 2024 Ovation Award in Outstanding Artistic Achievement for “bold inclusivity casting and artistic risk-taking”.
In 2011, Robin co-founded Opera Mariposa, Canada’s only 100% openly disability-led and -run opera company, and now works with arts organizations of all types to make their spaces, facilities, resources, and events more accessible and inclusive. She is a YouTuber and Instagram creator, making fun, educational content about the intersections between opera and disability. She is represented by Kello Inclusive, and can next be seen in the Lower Mainland starring as Hanna in The Merry Widow with Crescendo Operatic Society this June. Connect on all socials: @robinhahnsopran