An extremely versatile and intelligent singer, Zoë’s
extensive theatre experience and linguistic skills make her a compelling
performer on stage and concert platform alike. She is equally at home with
contemporary pieces as with the standard repertoire, and enjoys performing
unusual and forgotten works. As well as graduating with Distinction in the
Professional Performance Diploma from the RNCM, Zoë has a degree in
Italian and German from Oxford University. She is a consummate actress and
has trained in various forms of dance, including ballet, jazz, tap and flamenco.
Originally from Wales, in 2000 Zoë was a finalist in the Welsh Singers
Competition in St David’s Hall, Cardiff, and in 2001 won the Grace
Williams Music Prize. Currently under the tuition of Felicity Palmer, she
receives coaching from Adele Leigh, Diane Forlano and Ludmilla Andrew.
Among Zoë’s opera performances in 2002 were the roles of Rosina in Rossini’s Barber
of Seville, the world premier of the contemporary
work Dance to the End of Time by Martin Read, Popova in Walton’s The
Bear for Guildford Opera, Anita in West Side Story for Pimlico Opera and
Ascanio in Berlioz’ Benvenuto Cellini for UCOpera. She played Clori in Handel’s Clori,
Tirsi & Fileno in the Covent Garden Festival,
Mercedes in Carmen at Opera Holland Park and Carmen in concert performance
with the Northern Sinfonia in 2001. In 2000 she was an Apprentice in Meistersinger at the Royal Opera House, conducted by Haitink.
Other roles include Second Lady and Second Boy in The
Magic Flute, Mother
Goose in The Rake’s Progress, Cherubino in The
Marriage of Figaro and
Second Norn in Götterdämmerung.
Zoë has wide concert and oratorio experience. In 1999 she performed
Berio’s Folksongs with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
and in 2000 enjoyed a concert tour of France with David Willison performing
Romantic
and Contemporary repertoire. Oratorio appearances include the Verdi Requiem,
Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Llandaff Cathedral and the Bach
Magnificat with The Swansea Philharmonic. Other oratorio performances
include the Vivaldi Gloria, Bach’s Missa Brevis, St Matthew Passion and St
John Passion,
Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Mozart‘s Requiem, Dvorak’s Requiem,
Beethoven’s Mass in C and Choral Fantasia and Handel’s Messiah.
TV and recordings include the alto solo (duet) in Mahler’s Das
Klagende Lied conducted by Kent Nagano, North-West Contemporary Composer Workshop
CD and Grandmother in Nicola LeFanu’s The Story
of Mary O’Neill broadcast by BBC Radio 3.
In 2003 she plays Carmen for Garden Opera, Zerlina in Don
Giovanni for The
London Opera Players and L’Innocente in Cilea’s L’Arlesiana
for Opera Holland Park. In 2004 she will create the role of Florian in the
new opera Clockwork with performances in the Linbury Studio at the Royal
Opera House.