24-year-old Australian soprano Molly Ryan is currently based in Germany as an ensemble member at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden for the 26/27 season. Her engagement follows her success in 2025, when she was awarded first prize in the MTO German Australian Opera Grant and Audience Prize.
This season, Molly performs the roles of Erste Dame in Die Zauberflöte, Stella in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, Annina in La Traviata, Sand- und Taumännchen in Hänsel und Gretel, and Shepherd in Tosca.
In 2025, Molly performed the role of Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro in Vienna with the Prague Summer Nights Young Artist Music Festival, and L’Opinion Publique in Constantine Costi’s premiere of Orphée aux enfers, a collaboration between the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and NIDA. As part of the Opera School, Molly also created the roles of Mother in The Lullaby (Zhen) and Menarche in MOTHER (O’Donoghue), a world-premiere opera directed by Lindy Hume in 2024.
Molly has achieved success in numerous national and international competitions, including her recent win of the MTO German Australian Opera Grant and Audience Prize. In 2026, she was awarded Third Prize in the Nicolas Tarling Aria Final in New Zealand. In 2025, she was a finalist prize winner in the 101st Herald Sun Aria Final with the Melbourne Opera Orchestra, and a finalist and NSW Bursary winner in the Bettine McCaughan Scholarship. In 2024, Molly was a finalist in the IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition with the Opera Australia Orchestra, where she received the Merenda Legacy Prize, Opera Australia Prize and Ingrid Davidson Prize. She was also awarded Second Prize in the Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship Final, formerly known as the Sun Aria Competition, performing with the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra. In 2023, Molly was awarded First Prize in the Demant Dreikurs Scholarship Song Competition, having also been a finalist in 2022.
This season, Molly performs the roles of Erste Dame in Die Zauberflöte, Stella in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, Annina in La Traviata, Sand- und Taumännchen in Hänsel und Gretel, and Shepherd in Tosca.
In 2025, Molly performed the role of Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro in Vienna with the Prague Summer Nights Young Artist Music Festival, and L’Opinion Publique in Constantine Costi’s premiere of Orphée aux enfers, a collaboration between the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and NIDA. As part of the Opera School, Molly also created the roles of Mother in The Lullaby (Zhen) and Menarche in MOTHER (O’Donoghue), a world-premiere opera directed by Lindy Hume in 2024.
Molly has achieved success in numerous national and international competitions, including her recent win of the MTO German Australian Opera Grant and Audience Prize. In 2026, she was awarded Third Prize in the Nicolas Tarling Aria Final in New Zealand. In 2025, she was a finalist prize winner in the 101st Herald Sun Aria Final with the Melbourne Opera Orchestra, and a finalist and NSW Bursary winner in the Bettine McCaughan Scholarship. In 2024, Molly was a finalist in the IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition with the Opera Australia Orchestra, where she received the Merenda Legacy Prize, Opera Australia Prize and Ingrid Davidson Prize. She was also awarded Second Prize in the Sydney Eisteddfod Opera Scholarship Final, formerly known as the Sun Aria Competition, performing with the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra. In 2023, Molly was awarded First Prize in the Demant Dreikurs Scholarship Song Competition, having also been a finalist in 2022.
Molly has been the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships, including the prestigious George and Margaret Henderson Opera Scholarship (2026) which supported her relocation to Europe. Other notable scholarships have included the Bud Brown Memorial Scholarship (2025), Greenberg Gurney Jensen Fund (2024), PATIM Fund (2021-2025), Helen Myers Scholarship (2020), Florence Mary Verga-Smith Award (2019) and Henderson Travellers Scholarship (2023, 2025). The Henderson Travellers Scholarship supported her participation in the Prague Summer Nights Festival and an opera school program at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
Molly’s other performed roles in Australia include Theodora, Die Hexe in Hänsel und Gretel, Piacere in Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, La Princesse in L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, Belinda and Second Witch in Dido and Aeneas, Mauxalinda in The Dragon of Wantley, Susanna in Il segreto di Susanna, Maguelonne in Cendrillon, and various roles in The Fairy Queen. In 2023, Molly joined the ensemble of Musgrove Opera for a Sydney schools tour of Sid the Serpent, including a performance at the Sydney Opera House.
Molly’s concert soloist engagements has included Messiah (Handel), Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven), Große Messe in c-Moll (Mozart), The Creation (Haydn), Reuqiem (Mozart), Krönungsmesse (Mozart), Missa in Angustiis (Haydn), Missa Cellensis (Haydn), Magnificat (Vivaldi), Requiem Op. 48 (Faure), Missa ultima (Hasse), Gloria in excelsis Deo BWV 191 (Bach) and Hierusalem (Dyson). In 2025, Molly also performed Eliza Aria from Elena Kats-Chernin’s Wild Swan Suite with Maestra Simone Young AM at the Sydney Town Hall.
She has performed as a soloist with various orchestras and choirs, including the Opera Australia Orchestra, Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, North Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, Sydney University Graduate Choir, Melbourne’s Art of Sound Orchestra, Hobart’s Allegri Ensemble, Illawarra Choral Society, Manly Warringah Choir and Orchestra, Radio Community Chest, and St Paul’s College Choir where she worked as a soprano choral scholar. Molly has performed in masterclasses with esteemed musicians including by Dr Graham Johnson OBE, Yvonne Kenny, Helena Dix, Jelena Noskova, Zoe Zeniodi, Francis Greep, David Miller AM and Lynne Dawson.
Molly holds a Master of Music Studies (Opera Performance) and Bachelor of Music (Performance) with High Distinction from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where she studied with Maree Ryan AM.
Molly’s other performed roles in Australia include Theodora, Die Hexe in Hänsel und Gretel, Piacere in Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, La Princesse in L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, Belinda and Second Witch in Dido and Aeneas, Mauxalinda in The Dragon of Wantley, Susanna in Il segreto di Susanna, Maguelonne in Cendrillon, and various roles in The Fairy Queen. In 2023, Molly joined the ensemble of Musgrove Opera for a Sydney schools tour of Sid the Serpent, including a performance at the Sydney Opera House.
Molly’s concert soloist engagements has included Messiah (Handel), Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven), Große Messe in c-Moll (Mozart), The Creation (Haydn), Reuqiem (Mozart), Krönungsmesse (Mozart), Missa in Angustiis (Haydn), Missa Cellensis (Haydn), Magnificat (Vivaldi), Requiem Op. 48 (Faure), Missa ultima (Hasse), Gloria in excelsis Deo BWV 191 (Bach) and Hierusalem (Dyson). In 2025, Molly also performed Eliza Aria from Elena Kats-Chernin’s Wild Swan Suite with Maestra Simone Young AM at the Sydney Town Hall.
She has performed as a soloist with various orchestras and choirs, including the Opera Australia Orchestra, Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, North Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, Sydney University Graduate Choir, Melbourne’s Art of Sound Orchestra, Hobart’s Allegri Ensemble, Illawarra Choral Society, Manly Warringah Choir and Orchestra, Radio Community Chest, and St Paul’s College Choir where she worked as a soprano choral scholar. Molly has performed in masterclasses with esteemed musicians including by Dr Graham Johnson OBE, Yvonne Kenny, Helena Dix, Jelena Noskova, Zoe Zeniodi, Francis Greep, David Miller AM and Lynne Dawson.
Molly holds a Master of Music Studies (Opera Performance) and Bachelor of Music (Performance) with High Distinction from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where she studied with Maree Ryan AM.
Biography not to be reproduced without permission. Please contact Molly for an up-to-date or condensed version.
CV available upon request.