Soprano Aoife O’ Connell was born in Co. Wicklow, Ireland and has just graduated from a Masters in Opera Performance at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, studying with Suzanne Murphy and Michael Pollock. In 2010 she graduated from the Royal Irish Academy of Music with a first class honours BA degree in Music Performance and in 2011 she received an M.Phil in Theatre and Performance from Trinity College, Dublin.
Recent operatic experience includes singing Queen of the Night with the Opera North orchestra and developing the role of Mary in a new opera by Raymond Deane. Previous experience includes the role of Pamina in a touring production of Mozart’s Magic Flute (sung in English) with Young Opera Venture, Fiordiligi in RWCMD’s production of Cosí fan tutte, Pamina in RWCMD’s The Magic Flute, and a member of the ensemble in a new opera with Waterford Theatre Royal called The Invader, written by Eric Sweeney. Other operatic experience include Fido in WNYO’s production of Paul Bunyan on the Donald Gordon stage of the Wales Millenium Centre, Controller in RWCMD’s Flight by Jonathan Dove, Lucia (cover) in RWCMD’s Rape of Lucretia, Diana in Opera r’Ddraig’s Orpheus in the Underworld, Venus in Sforza Baroque’s Venus and Adonis, Bridesmaid in RWCMD’s Marriage of Figaro, Damon in Opera r Ddraig’s Acis and Galatea and a nymph in Opera Theatre Company’s Acis and Galatea.
Aoife has extensive experience as an oratorio and concert singer. She was a finalist in the Ian Stoutzker Prize for the Best Performer at the RWCMD and she also took part in a gala concert in Dordrecht, Amsterdam for Mary Kaptein management. She has performed Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with both the RWCMD chamber orchestra and the RIAM chamber orchestra and was also lucky enough to be part of the Street Chorus in Bernstein’s Mass performed in the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms 2013. On the oratorio platform she has sung as a soprano soloist in pieces such as Mozart’s Requiem, Karl Jenkin’s Armed Man, Vaughan Williams’ Hodie and John Rutter’s Mass of the Children amongst others. Aoife has also had the privilege of performing with many distinguished musicians such as Crispian Steele-Perkins, Benjamin Frith, Suzanne Murphy and Donald Maxwell. In Masterclasses she has worked with Susan Bullock, Ann Murray, Brenda Hurley, Christopher Curnyn, Michael Eliason, Roberta Alexander, John Fisher and Dame Felicity Lott.
Future engagements include Soprano soloist with Leeds Philharmonic Chorus and Harrogate Choral Society.
