Dubbed “the divine Ms Watkins” by the New York Times, soprano Amelia Watkins has performed with leading orchestras and opera companies in the United States, Canada, Asia and Europe. Since her European debut at the Leipzig Gewandhaus, she has appeared with the Los Angeles Opera, New York City Opera, the Estates Theatre/National Theatre Prague, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Carnegie Hall, Weill Hall, Lincoln Centre, the Tanglewood Music Festival, the Verbier Festival, The National Arts Centre, Prototype Festival, and in concert in Hong Kong. Her operatic roles include Pamina Die Zauberflöte, Valencienne Merry Widow, Norina Don Pasquale, Despina Così fan Tutte, Zerlina Don Giovanni, Musetta La Bohème, Mme. Herz The Impresario, Gretel Hansel & Gretel, Frasquita Carmen, Dafne Apollo e Dafne, Elle La Voix Humaine, and extensive scenes of Handel heroines Armida and Cleopatra performed with baroque orchestra. Oratorio performance highlights include Handel's Messiah, Bach’s Magnificat, the Requiem of Mozart, Fauré and Rutter performed at Carnegie Hall, and of Manfred Trojahn performed at the Gewandhaus, Mozart's Exultate, Jubilate and Coronation Mass, and Mahler's Symphony #2, performed at The National Arts Center in Ottawa. In fall 2026 she presents a recital with pianist Mila Henry in NYC (Harvard Club), sings the role of Mother in the Canadian premiere of Dog Days (Little/Vavrek) with Tapestry Opera in Toronto, and will host and sing in an Opera Pub with Against The Grain opera, also in Toronto.

Embracing musical styles from Bach to Berio and beyond, Amelia specializes in the works of living and experimental composers, and has premiered over 40 new works, performing at Joe’s Pub, Le Poisson Rouge, Roulette, National Sawdust, and Issue Project Room, among other venues. Amelia has performed and premiered 5 roles and multiple concert works for Beth Morrison Projects, working with the company since its early years. She is a frequent vocalist in Darmstadt’s In C. Amelia’s voice was represented in a 496 channel wavefield synthesis speaker array at EMPAC in Troy, NY, by experimental composer Zach Layton, the first use of this technology. She has been featured as a contributing vocalist in the MOMA installation “Meta'/Physical Therapy” by renowned media artist Shana Moulton, and in an installation by artist Jeanine Oleson at the New Museum. Amelia is the vocalist for the dance work, Hammer, choreography, direction, sets, and lighting design by Alexander Ekman, music by Mikael Karlsson, currently on world tour.

Amelia has been featured in recording on the Grammy-nominated album Vocabularies with Bobby McFerrin, Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s highly acclaimed opera Song From The Uproar, Albany Record’s New Growth, and the studio recording of Michael Gordon and Deborah Artman’s Acquanetta. Her film and television work includes 'Breastmilk:The Movie'(Ricki Lake, executive producer), Bravo TV (Canada) "Comédies Musicales", and various commercial and indie film scores. A versatile singer, Amelia enjoys backing up rock and pop bands in the NYC circuit.

A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Ms. Watkins is the recipient of multiple substantial grants from the Canada Council for the Arts, The Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation for Young Canadian Opera Singers, and has been recognized in other regional, national and international competitions. She has been a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Festival, a Young Artist at Berkshire Opera, a featured academy artist at the Verbier Festival, participant in the Cleveland Art Song Festival, the Carnegie Hall Professional Training Workshop with Thomas Quasthoff, and a resident performer with the Metropolitan Opera Guild outreach program. Amelia is a citizen of Canada, Ireland (European Union), and the United States.