Trainees 2009/10

Sopranos
Elizabeth Llewellyn
Sadhbh Dennedy
Anna Devin
Madeleine Pierard
Meeta Raval

Mezzo-sopranos
Sara Gonzalez-Saavedra

Tenors
John Pierce
Nicky Spence

Baritones
Gerard Collett
Joa Rasmus Helgesson

Bass
John Molloy

Repetiteurs
Marie-Elise Boyer
Cameron Burns
Jean-Paul Pruna

Raquel Luis mezzo-soprano

Portuguese mezzo-soprano Raquel Luís recently completed the MMUS and MMP with distinction at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama under the tuition of Rudolf Piernay, with whom she still studies. Previously she concluded the BMus with honours in Vocal Performance at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Raquel started her studies as a soprano performing on stage the title role in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Amore in Gluck’s Orpheu ed Euridice, Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni and covering 1st Lady in Mozart’s Magic Flute.

In March 2009 she made her debut as a mezzo with the role of The Caroline with the Thick Mane from the opera The King Goes Forth to France by Aulis Sallinen (GSMD), conquering the attention of the critic. This was followed by Clarina in La Cambiale di Matrimonio by Rossini.

In opera scenes she performed: Lucretia and Nancy (Opera North residency), Suzuki (HYM), Blanca (in Ines de Castro by James MacMillan, NOS), Dorabella, Hansel and Tisbe (WNO residency), Cherubino and Mercedes (directed by John Copley, Linbury Theatre, Covent Garden), Carmen (directed by Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser), Alice Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff (Royal Albert Hall); Crobyle, Clorinda , Female Chorus in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, Hanna in Lèhar’s Merry Widow, Fox in Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen, Fiordiligi in Così fan Tutte and Arminda in La Finta Giardiniera (GSMD).

As a soloist she sang in Vivaldi’s Gloria, Mozart’s C Minor Mass, Coronation Mass in C KV317, Vesperae Solemnes de Confessore, Missa Brevis KV 220, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, Lambert’s Rio Grande and has presented herself in recital in Portugal, Spain, England, Scotland and Germany.

She was a member of the Bayreuther Festspiele Chorus in 2007 and 2009.

Raquel's studies are kindly supported by British American Tobacco, Friends of Covent Garden, Amici di Verdi Trust and The Worshipful Company of Tallow Chandlers.