Hannock, Stella

Australian-American mezzo soprano Stella Hannock graduated with a Masters in Opera Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2023. A few months later they made their solo debut with San Francisco Opera performing Designer #2 in The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs. This season with SFO Stella looks forward to singing the role of Giovanna in Rigoletto.

Stella was an Associate Young Artist with Pacific Opera (Australia) for two years, an Academy Young Artist with State Opera South Australia, and most recently a Manetti Shrem Fellow at Festival Napa Valley. In 2019 Stella was a semi-finalist and the winner of the Ingrid Davidson Award in the IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition.

Roles performed in 2022-2023 whilst studying at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music include Sesto in La Clemenza di Tito, L’enfant in L’enfant et les sortiléges, Veronique in Le Docteur Miracle (Bizet), Cornelia in Giulio Cesare and Guido in Flavio (Handel). In 2020 Stella completed a Bachelor of Music Performance and a Graduate Diploma in Opera Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with scholarship support from a Sydney Scholars Award. Their study at the Sydney Conservatorium primarily focussed on art song, a genre that Stella is deeply passionate about. An opera performance highlight during this time was the role of Le Prince Charmant in Cendrillon and one of their favourite roles, Cherubino, in Le Nozze di Figaro with Prague Summer Nights Festival. 

Nurtured by their upbringing in a supportive small town, Stella developed an early passion for classical music. This led to a wealth of opportunities to perform as a soloist in recital and with local choral organizations. Favorite concert works performed include Berg’s Sieben frühe Lieder, Elgar’s Sea Pictures, and as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah, Britten’s Ceremony of Carols, Faure’s Requiem, Mozart’s Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, and Vivaldi’s Gloria.

Now happily calling San Francisco home, Stella finds joy off the stage in creative pursuits like sewing and knitting, exploring psychology and anthropology, spending time with loved ones, cuddling their dog, and swimming at Baker Beach.