Helen-Jane Howells

Soprano

 Comments on Helen-Jane:

"Huw Watkins was the commanding presence in a rewarding song-recital on Friday afternoon, his own Five Larkin Songs delivered with piercing insight by soprano Helen-Jane Howells, the composer at the piano. Howells moved easily from the Purcellian coloratura which opens Britten’s On this Island to the cabaret wit which concludes it. More Britten came with some of his folksong settings. The soloist’s eye-contact and body-language such effective vehicles. We also heard the premiere of Julian Philips’ busy, testing and organically unified Love Songs of Amy Lowell, and Sonnet III “Alla Luna” by the eminent Lithuanian composer Zita Bruzaite, clearly and simplystructured, Howells’ radiant soprano joined by deft oboist Helen Barker . ." Birmingham Post, full review here

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" . . especially when the energetic Navarra Quartet supported the colourful singing of Helen-
Jane Howells in his (Joseph Phibbs) impressive work The Canticle of the Rose". Western Mail, link here. Broadcast of the performance on BBC Radio 3, 'Pre-Hear', November 26th, 9.30pm link to webpage here

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"Howells's 'Blute Nur' an unwinding coil of temperate loveliness", on the St. Matthew Passion at the Royal Festival Hall. Alexandra Coghlan, The Arts Desk, April 2011. For the full in-depth review please click here

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"Helen-Jane Howells, substituting the indisposed Susan Gritton, achieved a state of introspection and meditation. Howells was magnificent in 'Rejoice greatly, oh daughter of Zion' which she brought forth with the grace and sensuality required. Her performance of 'I know that my redeemer liveth' was truly moving".  Translation of concert review by Luis Alfonso Bes, ‘Heraldo de Aragón’, Zaragoza of Handel’s Messiah with the Gabrieli Consort directed by Paul McCreesh, December 2010.

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" H-J Howells' soprano soared mightily into the apse of All Saints like the nightingale in the score", Louise Schweitzer, The Argus on Haydn's Creation

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 ". . and Helen-Jane Howells's bell-like soprano were especially notable". Laura Battle, The Financial Times, 16 Dec 2010 (Monteverdi with La Nuova Musica at the Spitalfields Festival)

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"The beauty and technical ease of Helen-Jane's wide-ranging voice and her sensitive interpretation of the texts kept the audience in wrapped attention throughout. This is surely a Soprano approaching the peak of her career with supreme confidence and worthy adoration of her audiences". Grayston Burgess, Charterhouse Music Society on 'The Beauty of Troubled Mind' recital

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 “Helen-Jane Howells is a fine Amore, a trouser-suited youth sparking and prodding the action. . ”  Whats on Stage on Monteverdi L'incoronazione di Poppea, Glyndebourne on Tour

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"Your ‘Et incarnatus est’ on Saturday was one of the loveliest and most perfect things I have heard sung by a soprano in a long time". Edward Marston, English Arts Chorale on Mozart's C Minor Mass

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“. . . and naughty Eve (wonderful Helen-Jane Howells) . . ." The Guardian on Purcell The Fairy Queen, Glyndebourne Festival

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   "The arias chosen came mainly from Acis and Galatea, Giulio Cesare, Serse and Semele, and it was soprano Helen-Jane Howells -heard in the previous Kempe concert with very different repertoire - who sang them with incomparable beauty of vocal treatment and passionate expression.  Her dazzling coloratura alternating with highly sensual and often poignant lyricism was simply stunning".  The Stratford Herald

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"Helen-Jane Howells, soprano, in her performance of songs by Strauss and Mahler, spun a beautiful line and showed off her glorious top register.  The pianissimo ending of Mahler's Ging heut morgen was stunning". The Farnham Herald

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Review of the opera Love in Transit (role: 'Barbara', a diva!), "Whilst all the roles were very competently sung, the star of the performance, in more ways than one, was undoubtedly Helen-Jane Howells, the blonde ‘diva’.  She has a beautiful clear soprano voice, and excellent diction.  She is a singer to watch out for the future; already assured, confident in the command of her vocal range, and with a strong stage presence".  Leszek Marcinowicz, Capriccio

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“She has a star studded career ahead of her”, Mary King, judge at the John Warner Competition

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 "The soloists Helen-Jane Howells and Douglas Rice-Bowen were at the top of their game and seemed to lift the response of the audience. . . Any confidence the choir may have lacked in the opening was quickly recovered by the example of Helen-Jane Howells, whose soaring line was radiant in tone and had a seemingly effortless delivery.  Her feeling for the phrases was matched by Douglas R-B".  Mark Gale, Mid-Sussex Times

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“Awarded not only because of the beauty of her singing, but her professionalism throughout this competition”, the Russell Sheppard Scholarship  

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