Cornish-Welsh soprano Helen-Jane Howells began her musical life as a flautist and jazz singer, and for five years was a secondary school music teacher. 2011 was a year for debuts and premieres and saw her first performance, as soloist, at the Royal Festival Hall (Bach St. Matthew Passion for the Bach Choir with Florilegium conducted by David Hill, broadcast on BBC Radio 3); the Wigmore Hall (Bach Magnificat and Cantata BWV 1027 with the Academy of Ancient Music, under Richard Egarr); the Aldeburgh Festival (with La Nuova Musica), and the world premiere of Julian Philips Love Songs of Amy Lowell at the Presteigne Festival, where she also performed many contemporary pieces and recorded, for BBC Radio 3, Joseph Phibbs' Canticle of the Rose with the Navarra Quartet.
In the summer she was soloist in the Three Choirs Festival at Worcester Cathedral in Beethoven Mass in C and the Finale Opera Gala singing with Sir Thomas Allen and the Philharmonia Orchestra. In the Autumn she was involved in the Glyndebourne Opera Outreach project with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, focusing on Handel's Rinaldo. After her step-in as soloist earlier in 2011 for a Spanish tour of Handel's Messiah for the Gabrieli Consort under Paul McCreesh she returned to sing for them as 'Amore' in Gluck (Berlioz) Orphee et Eurydice in Madrid and as soloist in the Lausanne Festival, St.Matthew Passion. At St.John's, Smith Square she sang for the 60th Birthday Celebration concert of the composer Cecilia McDowall, at Bristol's Colston Hall (Bach Christmas Oratorio,) and she returned to the Royal Festival Hall to perform in the annual 'Candlelight Messiah'. Helen-Jane was also the soprano soloist in an exciting new staged production of the Bach St. Matthew Passion for 'Vocal Futures' with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
In 2010 Helen-Jane sang 'Amore' in Glyndebourne on Tour's L'incoronazione di Poppea (conducted by Jonathan Cohen) and before that was soloist 'Eve' in Purcell’s The Fairy Queen for Les Arts Florissant (conducted by William Christie) with performances in Paris and New York after having sung the role in the Glyndebourne Festival and at the Proms (2009). The opera, directed by Jonathan Kent, won an Olivier Award. Other operatic roles include: Gretel Hansel & Gretel; Despina Cosi fan Tutte; Galatea Acis & Galatea; Barbara Love in Transit; cover Atalanta, Serse, Iford Opera and cover Belinda Dido, Opera Dijon with Concert D'astree (conducted by Jonathan Cohen). She is a Samling Scholar and winner of the 2010 AESS competition. Upcoming: She will be working with La Nuova Musica on their new recording collaboration with Harmonia Mundi (Vivaldi; Carissimi; Charpentier), Purcell The Fairy Queen with the Gabrieli Consort (and for the Spitalfields Festival), conducted by Paul McCreesh and as soloist for the Academy of Ancient Music, Richard Egarr with the Nederlands Kammerchor in Handel's Messiah and in Bach B Minor Mass for Nicholas Kraemer and the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra. Further ahead: She will create the role of Lily Smalls in an international opera collaboration with Taliesin Arts and Companion Star, New York in John Metcalfe's new opera based on Dylan Thomas Under Milk Wood.
Helen-Jane Howells is represented by Caroline Phillips Management. Specific details of engagements can be found on the 'Engagements' page.
For information on operatic roles or recital repertoire please click on the word
For sound files please visit the CPM website or to hear a specific piece/style contact me
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