Singer - Writer - Producer - Portfolio Artist

“Rachel Krehm isn’t just a Canadian opera singer. She’s an opera advocate. The soprano’s mission: bring more people to opera by shaking it free of its misleading stuffy stereotype.”

- Melanie Chandler Jackson - The READ

Woman with curly red hair in a black and floral dress looking sideways.

A versatile artist, soprano Rachel Krehm is the co-founder and General Director of Opera 5. She works in opera, new music, art song, improvisation, voice and web-series acting, and is also a writer and producer. An avid believer in new creation, Rachel believes in commissioning, workshopping, creating, and performing Canadian art song and opera to support and contribute to the Canadian classical and operatic legacy.

In June 2025, her first libretto will be premiered - Come Closer with composition by Ryan Trew. Come Closer is based on her experience losing her little sister Elizabeth to addiction. In it, she will also be creating the role of Big Sister. Come Closer began as an orchestral song cycle, which she and her family commissioned by Ryan Trew set to her late sister Elizabeth’s evocative poetry.

Rachel has produced both traditional live opera and digital projects with Opera 5 for over a decade. She co-created Threepenny Submarine, which combines puppetry, animation, and opera. Threepenny Submarine introduces children and their families to the amazing sound world of opera and classical music with short episodes and engaging stories. Threepenny Submarine made its international debut in Rotterdam, Netherlands at the O. Festival in May 2024 and is a winner of a 2024 Digital Excellence Award presented by Opera America.

Most recently Rachel sang Soprano Solo in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Cathedral Bluffs Orchestra (October 2024), Miss Jessel in Opera 5’s production of The Turn of the Screw (June 2024), the world premiere of Cecilia Livingston’s Orchestral Song cycle Breath Alone with the Kingston Symphony (February 2024), Ryan Trew’s orchestral song cycle Come Closer with The Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra (November 2023), and will sing the soprano solo in Mahler’s Second Symphony with The Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra (May 2025) and create the role of Big Sister in Come Closer (June 2025).

Discover more about Rachel

  • Woman sitting under a table with a phone to her ear, a large projected image of a smiling couple in the background, and papers scattered on the floor.

    Schedule

    Find out where to hear Rachel next and check out her past performances

  • A woman in a navy blue dress stands in a forest, surrounded by tall trees and autumn leaves.

    Gallery

    Take a look at Rachel’s past projects with this photo gallery.

  • Close-up of a person with curled red hair and closed eyes, showing soft natural makeup tones, long eyelashes, and light pink lips.

    Listen

    Take a listen to some of Rachel’s demo recordings and performances.

  • Logo of Opera 5 with slogan 'Opera that makes sense.'

    Opera 5

    Find out more about Opera 5 and Rachel’s work there

  • Two women in long dresses performing on stage in front of music stands, with chairs and a blue water bottle in the background.

    Come Closer

    Learn more about Rachel’s first opera creation as a librettist and performer.

  • Stage performance with two actors in period costumes, one on an upper level balcony and another on the stage below. Dim lighting with decorative curtains and a cross on the wall.

    Recent News

    Read up on Rachel’s recent news and find out more.