Olivia Ray

Olivia Ray studied at the Royal Northern, the English National Opera’s The Knack, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, receiving a fellowship to Aspen, Colorado, to study with Susanne Mentzer.

Highlights in recent seasons include Lady Spencer in Georgiana at the Buxton International Festival; Emilia Otello, Anna Polikovskaya in the world premiere of The Life & Death of Alexander Litvinenko; Gertrude Roméo et Juliette, Flora La traviata, Enrichetta di Francia I puritani, and Soeur Mathilde Dialogues des carmélites for Grange Park Opera; Elgar The Apostles at Gloucester Cathedral; and Mahler Symphony No. 8 at the Cheltenham Music Festival.

Operatic roles include Alisa Lucia di Lammermoor, Curra La forza del destino, Mrs Fox Fantastic Mr Fox and Suzy / Lolette La rondine (all for Opera Holland Park); Juno Orpheus in the Underworld and Olga Eugene Onegin (Scottish Opera); Mrs Noye Noyes Fludde (London Philharmonic Orchestra); Rosina The Barber of Seville (Stanley Hall Opera); the title role in Offenbach’s La Périchole (Opera South); Angelina La Cenerentola (English Pocket Opera, Minotaur Productions, London Opera Productions); Maddalena in Rigoletto (Live Action Opera); Irene Theodora and Pulcheria Riccardo Primo (Opéra de Baugé); Mother The Tales of Hoffmann and Esmeralda The Bartered Bride (Mid Wales Opera); the title role in Carmen (Pavilion Opera, Opera Brava, Mananan Arts Festival); Annina La traviata (Pavilion Opera); Smeraldina in Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges (English Pocket Opera); Dido Dido and Aeneas (Minotaur Productions, Cannon Scholars); Mrs Kneebone Berkeley’s A Dinner Engagement (Opera East); and Nadine, John Lunn’s workshop production of Tangier Tattoo (Glyndebourne).

Oratorio and concert appearances include Bach St. John Passion, St. Matthew Passion; Berlioz Les nuits d’ete; Britten Spring Symphony; Duruflé Requiem; Elgar Sea Pictures, The Music Makers; Handel Messiah, Theodora, Dixit Dominus; Haydn Nelson Mass, Harmoniemesse; Mozart Mass in C Minor, Coronation Mass, Requiem, Vesperes Solomnes; Scarclatti Miserere; and Vivaldi Gloria. In recent seasons she performed her first Mahler Symphonies – Symphony No. 8 at the Royal Festival Hall and Symphony No.2 in Yorkshire.

Prizes include Fellowship, Aspen Music Festival and School, Colorado; Lillian Baylis Bursary, The Knack, ENO; Clare Croiza Prize for French Song, RNCM and John Cameron Special Lieder Prize, RNCM.