Since she won the RTE Musician of the Future competition in 1990 Cork born Cara O'Sullivan has risen to prominence as one of Ireland's leading sopranos. Cara represented Ireland in the 1993 Cardiff Singer of the World Competition; was first prizewinner in the Second International Stanislav Moniuszko Vocal Competition, in Warsaw in 1996, and won the Classical Artist Award in the 1997 National Entertainment Awards in Ireland.

Cara is renowned for her interpretation of Der Köningin der Nacht Die Zauberflöte having performed the role for Opéra de Nantes, De Vlaamse Opera, English National Opera, Opera North and Opera Ireland. Other roles include Erste Dame Die Zauberflöte for Opéra National de Paris, Donna Anna, Don Giovanni for Glyndebourne Touring Opera and Welsh National Opera, Fiordiligi Cosi Fan Tutte for Welsh National Opera and Garsington Festival Opera, Violetta La Traviata, Mother, Witch and Dew Fairy Hansel and Gretel for Welsh National Opera, Elettra Idomeneo for Glyndebourne Touring Opera, Helmwige Die Walküre for the ROH Covent Garden and for English National Opera, and Konstanze Die Entführung aus dem Serail for Garsington Festival Opera. In 2001, Cara made her American debut singing Der Köningin der Nacht Die Zauberflöte for Cincinnati Opera.

Cara has recorded frequently for RTE radio and television. Concert highlights in Ireland include an Opera Gala with José Cura and the RTE Orchestra, Ravel’s Shéhérazade and Poulenc’s Gloria with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Britten War Requiem and Elijah with the RTE Orchestra. In Britain, Cara has performed Helmwige Die Wälkure Act 3 with Antonio Pappano and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra at the Edinburgh International Festival, Verdi Requiem with the Bach Choir at the Royal Albert Hall, London in the Memorial Concert for Diana, Princess of Wales, Mahler’s Symphony No 8 and Carmina Burana at the Barbican, London, Beethoven Symphony No 9 with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Brahms’ Requiem and Mozart’s Requiem with the Philharmonia Orchestra. Cara made her concert debut in Europe in the Messiah in Barcelona with the Gabrielli Consort under Paul McCreesh. In 2002 she sang Helmwige and Freia in concert performances of Wagner’s Ring Cycle with the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland in Birmingham and Limerick.

Recent engagements include Elvira Ernani for ENO, de Falla’s Three Cornered Hat with the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland and Fiordiligi Cosi Fan Tutte for ENO.

Cara’s debut solo album was released in Ireland in 2003.