Maggie Cooper is a British Mezzo-Soprano, brought up in Oxford and living in London. She was awarded a scholarship to train at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She started her career as a lyric soprano performing in operas, oratorio and recitals in the UK and abroad. As a soprano her operatic higlights include Cio Cio San Madame Butterfly (Opera Up Close) and Mimi La Boheme (Longborough Festival Opera YAP). Maggie's Madame Butterfly was described by 'The Times' as 'captivating..naive and delicate, yet tough, touching and never cloying...and she delivers with searing power and passion'. As her range extended she transitioned to singing Mezzo in 2019.

 

Maggie's Mezzo roles include Carmen (title role), Prince Orlofsky Die Fledermaus, Pauline Queen of Spades, Mutter & Hexe & Hänsel Hänsel und Gretel. In 2023 she performed with Merry Opera for their unique and highly acclaimed staged production of Handel's Messiah. Maggie is passionate about contemporary opera and thrives on the collaborative experience involved with working with composers and premiering a new opera. She performed the role of Princess Diana, for the premiere of 'A Silver Spoon' by Lisa Logan with Keynote Opera at the Beaumaris Festival. She covered the role of Anne Brontë in Brontë The Opera, also by Lisa Logan, at the Arcola Theatre for the Grimeborn Opera Festival. The role of Louisa The Miller's Wife by Mike Christie was also premiered at the Arcola Theatre, Grimeborn Opera Festival.

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Oratorio experience includes all the major works ranging from Vivaldi's Gloria to Orff's Carmina Burana and contemporary works. Notably she performed the Mozart C Minor Mass under the baton of the late Sir David Willcocks. Recent highlights include Mozart's Requiem with Compton and Shawford Festival Choir, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with Marlow Orchestra and Mozart's Coronation Mass & Marianna Martines Quarta Messa with Aylesbury Choral Society. 

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On the concert platform Maggie has given recitals in Europe’s oldest concert hall, the Holywell Music Room, and in London she has performed at St Paul's Cathedral, St Martin-in-the-Fields, St John’s Smith Square, Kings Place, The National Portrait Gallery, The Savoy Hotel and The Dorchester Hotel, The Guildhall, Tottenham Football Stadium and Twickenham Rugby Stadium. She had the honour of performing to His Majesty King Abdullah of Jordan for the opening of Marsa Zayed. Since 2018 Maggie has been collaborating with artist Daniela Ironside and pianist Laetitia Fédérici on a multi-dimensional experience of the traditional recital including live painting. 'The Sight of Sound' recitals have been adapted to many different venues including the Omnibus Theatre, Beaumaris Festival, churches and private venues. 

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In 2019 Maggie was nominated for Women's Radio Station's Future Classic Women Awards and gave an interview about balancing motherhood with her singing career.

Maggie founded Carshalton Opera with her husband Matthew Drayton in 2017. Their mission is to produce professional opera with chamber ensemble and classical music concerts to their local community and beyond, with a focus on inspiring families with children of all ages. 

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