Helen-Jane Howells
Cornish-Welsh soprano Helen-Jane Howells began her musical life as a jazz singer and flautist. She spent five years as a secondary school music teacher and then embarked on a professional singing career with her debut as a soloist (Eve) at the Glyndebourne Festival in Jonathan Kent’s acclaimed production of The Fairy Queen. The performance went on to the Royal Albert Hall and then toured with Les Arts Florissants (William Christie) in Paris (Opéra Comique) and New York (BAM). She hasn't looked back since!
Cornish-Welsh soprano Helen-Jane Howells began her musical life as a jazz singer and flautist. She spent five years as a secondary school music teacher and then embarked on a professional singing career with her debut as a soloist (Eve) at the Glyndebourne Festival in Jonathan Kent’s acclaimed production of The Fairy Queen. The performance went on to the Royal Albert Hall and then toured with Les Arts Florissants (William Christie) in Paris (Opéra Comique) and New York (BAM). She hasn't looked back since!
She has sung extensively in Europe as a soloist, at the Uzés Festival and Lyon Baroque Festival (Ensemble La Fenice & Les Nouveaux Caractères); in the Aix-en-Provence, Spitalfields, Beaune, Lausanne and Wratislavia Cantans Festivals (Gabrieli Consort, Paul McCreesh); for the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra and Iceland Symphony Orchestra (Nicholas Kraemer); at the Royal Festival Hall (David Hill, Bach Choir, live on BBC R3) and St. David's Hall. Also, with the Gabrieli Consort she has sung at the Auditorio Nacional, Madrid as ‘Amore’ in Gluck Orfée et Eurydice and in a Spanish tour of Messiah and, most recently, in a European tour of Purcell King Arthur and also Bach St. Matthew Passion. With Florilegium she has performed many works, including an opera performance of Dido & Aeneas at the Roman Baths and her debut at the Wigmore Hall. She has sung as a soloist with the Academy of Ancient Music, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Philharmonia Orchestra.
A regular performer of modern work, Helen-Jane has premiered many works and made recordings of these (John Metcalf Under Milk Wood, Ty Cerdd and Joseph Phibbs Canticle of the Rose, NMC).
Helen-Jane is a Samling Artist.
In opera she has performed the roles of Amore L'Incoronazione di Poppea (Glyndebourne on Tour); Voice Ping (Music Theatre Wales); Lily Smalls, Gossamer Beynon and Mrs Pugh Under Milk Wood (Taliesin Arts); Teacher The Fairy Queen (Southbank Sinfonia for Bury Court Opera); Wife and Lover Soon (Tete-a-Tete Festival); Gretel Hansel & Gretel; Despina Cosi fan Tutte (Woodhouse Opera); Galatea Acis & Galatea; Barbara Love in Transit; Joanna Sweeney Todd (WNYO).
Since 2016 Helen-Jane has taken a step back from the concert platform to raise a young family but during this period has fitted in some enjoyable ventures and performances with friends old and new. Highlights were Messiah in Venice for Claudio Scimone and I Soloisti Veneti, tours with the Gabrieli Consort (Bach and Purcell) and Prom Praise at the Royal Albert and Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.
She has also built up her local links and has sung frequently at King's College, Cambridge for Stephen Cleobury. Recent concerts included Beethoven Mass in C and Handel Brockes Passion (Stephen Cleobury and the Hanover Band). This concert was also performed at King's Place, London as part of the Baroque Unwrapped series and broadcast live from King's College on BBC Radio 3.
Helen-Jane Howells is a soprano based in Cambridgeshire. She lives with her husband, two young children and Albie, a working cocker spaniel. Life is busy and full of song!
Please visit Diary page for all performance details and Audio & Media for clips and videos. For all engagements recent and future please visit the Diary page.
Please do not reproduce this biography. For an up-to-date or short biography suitable for programme use please use the contact page
.
