Rachel Redmond
Soprano
Biography
Scottish-born, Paris-based soprano Rachel Redmond is establishing herself as a sought-after interpreter of baroque repertoire. Appearing at major venues and festivals throughout Europe, her recent Handel roles have attracted particular praise.
Having started her earlier career with Le Jardin du Voix, the young artist’s programme of Les Arts Florissants, Rachel has performed extensively with the group in programmes of the French baroque masters as well as Purcell, Handel and Bach directed by both William Christie and Paul Agnew. She made her stage début at the Opéra Comique in Lully Atys.
Her other opera appearances include Second Woman Dido & Aeneas for Aix-en-Provence Festival, Loena La Belle Hélène at Théâtre du Châtelet, Dalinda Ariodante for Göttingen International Handel Festival, Fortuna L’Incoronazione di Poppea at Opéra du Rhin, Papagena Die Zauberflöte for Edinburgh International Festival, Susanna The Marriage of Figaro for English Touring Opera and Aminta in Vivaldi L’Olimpiade for Irish National Opera and the Royal Opera House Linbury Theatre. In concert she has also sung the roles of Dorinda Orlando with the Academy of Ancient Music / Laurence Cummings and Doña Isabel The Indian Queen at the Salzburg Festival with the Utopia Orchestra / Teodor Currentzis.
Concert engagements include Bach B Minor Mass with Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment / John Butt at the BBC Proms; Purcell and Handel with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra Kristian Bezuidenhout; Handel Esther and London Handel Festival / Laurence Cummings and Bach and Handel with The English Concert / Harry Bicket. Aside from period ensembles Rachel has worked with the Northern Sinfonia, BBC Scottish Symphony, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestras. She counts amongst her musical collaborators conductors Christophe Rousset, Trevor Pinnock, Leonardo Garcia Alarcón and Jordi Savall.
Recently released on the Linn label is Rachel Baptist: Ireland’s Black Syren a disc of repertoire sung by the 18th Century Irish soprano of African descent recorded with the Irish Baroque Orchestra and Peter Whelan.
Rachel Redmond studied at the Music School of Douglas Academy, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Born in Glasgow she lives in Paris and holds an Irish passport.
Rachel Redmond is represented for General Management. For all enquiries please contact Caroline Phillips cphillips@caroline-phillips.co.uk
Reviews
Handel – Orlando – Academy of Ancient Music
… Rachel Redmond, who’s emerging as a leading Handel soprano, sung Dorinda brightly;
Telegraph, 1 July 2024
Handel – Orlando – Academy of Ancient Music
Rachel Redmond’s soprano had bloom as well as charm … Redmond’s limpid candour sometimes stole the scenes,
The Arts Desk, 2 July 2024
Handel – Orlando – Academy of Ancient Music
As Dorinda, Rachel Redmond brought similar skills and equally pure tone, best heard in her pastoral lament in siciliano rhythm “Se mi rivolgo al prato”, adding a hint of melancholy using just vocal colour.
Bachtrack, 1 July 2024
Vivaldi – L’Olimpiade – Irish National Opera / Royal Opera House / Nouvel Opéra Fribourg
… for easeful sheer beauty and expressive instinct, the soprano Rachel Redmond is in a class of her own in the secondary role of Aminta.
The Irish Times, 22 April 2024
Vivaldi – L’Olimpiade – Irish National Opera / Royal Opera House / Nouvel Opéra Fribourg
…the secondary roles are impeccable. Rachel Redmond’s Aminta oscillates easily between lightness and pathos. Her air Siam navi all’onde agenti is a vocal fireworks display of disconcerting agility.
La Liberte, 3 June 2024
Vivaldi – L’Olimpiade – Irish National Opera / Royal Opera House / Nouvel Opéra Fribourg
a ‘tutor’, sung with a beautiful radiance and the most likeable air by Rachel Redmond.
Opera Now, 16 May 2024
Vivaldi – L’Olimpiade – Irish National Opera / Royal Opera House / Nouvel Opéra Fribourg
… a talented and stylistically coherent cast, led by Rachel Redmond as Aminta, whose voice has blossomed and triumphed in one of the few really virtuosic arias.
The Telegraph, 14 May 2024
Vivaldi – L’Olimpiade – Irish National Opera / Royal Opera House / Nouvel Opéra Fribourg
Rachel Redmond gives us some dazzling coloratura as Licida’s tutor Aminta, the voice of reason in a chaotic world.
The Guardian, 14 May 2024
Mozart – The Magic Flute – Scottish Chamber Orchestra
At last Papageno meets his girlfriend, and Rachel Redmond’s Papagena is as charming as he could wish. Their duet is the musical equivalent of a couple of teenagers unable to keep their hands off each other.
The Opera Critic, 12 August 2023
Mozart – The Marriage of Figaro (Susanna) – English Touring Opera
…Rachel Redmond’s little spitfire of a Susanna is the star – please can we have her back as Despina in Cosi fan tutte and Zerlina in Don Giovanni?…
Sunday Times, 2 March 2018