Rainelle Krause (1987-2026), soprano, was widely celebrated for her pristine, fiery coloratura and unflinching ferocity on the stage. Her signature role was the Queen of the Night in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, a part she performed more than 100 times across Europe and North America. From her role debut as a last-minute jump-in at Die Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin in 2019 to her widely acclaimed Metropolitan Opera debut in 2025, Rainelle’s original and heartfelt interpretation of one of opera’s most famous and challenging roles won her admiration across the opera world. OperaWire described her Metropolitan Opera performance as “entirely her own, with no trace of imitation.”

The challenge of the role suited her. Rainelle sought out the most demanding music for her repertoire with courage and intention, showcasing her talent and technique. At the same time, she felt deeply that a great performance is not only about what one can do, but about what one is willing to say through artistic expression. Her electrifying debut in the title role in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor at Nashville Opera in 2025 was a testament to her versatility and ambition as an artist.

Rainelle was not only an accomplished vocalist; she was warm, curious, and deeply generous. She was a devoted friend, daughter, sister, and spouse, and someone whose sense of adventure extended well beyond the opera stage. A skilled aerialist, she became famous in multiple artistic communities for her performances of arias thirty feet in the air, suspended upside down. She faced the harder chapters of her life with the same grit and grace she brought to her work, never losing sight of what she loved or why it mattered.

Raised in Bloomington, Indiana, she earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees in vocal performance from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. She and her husband, Ryan Krause, met and fell in love in 2007 when they were both IU undergraduates. Following her untimely death in 2026, Ryan created the Rainelle Krause Memorial Voice Scholarship to honor her incredible legacy and to nurture the vocal artists of tomorrow. Thank you for your generous support.

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