Rachel will make her International Handel Festival Debut on Saturday 19th May. Rachel will sing 'Virtue' in The Choice of Hercules by Handel under the direction of Laurence Cummings in the Gala Concert in the Stadhalle Gottingen at 7pm. More information can be found here.
Laurence Cummings - Conductor
Diana Moore - Hercules
Rachel Kelly - Virtue
Fflur Wyn - Pleasure
Nathan Haller - Attendant of Pleasure
Photo by Rachael Hegarty
Rachel will appear this evening, May 12th, with the Opera North Orchestra in the Leeds International Concert series in Leeds Town Hall. Rachel will be making her role debut as Marguerite in Damnation de Faust by Berlioz under the baton of Simon Wright. The cast is as follows:
Rachel Kelly - Marguerite
David Butt Philip - Faust
David Soar - Méphistophélès
Ashley Riches - Brander
"This marvellous book fascinated me from the first. I could not put it down. I read it incessantly, at meals, in the theatre, in the street!"
— Berlioz on Goethe's Faust: Part One
More information can be found here.
Rachel will appear under the direction of Christian Curnyn and The Early Opera Company in St John's Smith Square London on Wednesday the 11th April in the London Handel Festival. Rachel will be singing Sesto in Handel's Giulio Cesare with a star-stunned line up of performers including:
Tim Mead - GIULIO CESARE
Anna Devin - CLEOPATRA
Rachel Kelly - SESTO
Hillary Summers - CORNELIA
Rupert Enticknap - TOLOMEO
Callum Thorpe - ACHILLA
James Hall - NIRENO
Rachel made her debut as Sesto last August in the Kilkenny festival with Christian Curnyn to great acclaim:
“the mezzo Rachel Kelly was a marvellously vengeful Sesto (Giulio Cesare).”
Opera Magazine, November 2017
For more information on tickets and timings click here.
Photo: Rachael Hegarty
Rachel will make her role debut as Dido in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas in London's Wigmore Hall on Saturday the 7th April. She will sing with La Nuova Musica under the direction of David Bates. Tickets are available here.
Rachel Kelly as Proserpina with Callum Thorpe in Royal Opera House/ Roundhouse production of Orfeo, 2015
Rachel last performed with David Bates and La Nuova Musica in Wigmore Hall singing the role of Giunone in Cavalli's La Calisto last year.
"Rachel Kelly was a vibrant Giunone. Entering midway through Act 2, she immediately made her vengeful presence felt, her mezzo glinting darkly with outraged dignity as she transformed Calisto into a bear."
Opera Magazine, February 2017
David Bates director
Rachel Kelly mezzo-soprano (as Dido)
George Humphreys baritone (as Aeneas)
Anna Dennis soprano (as Belinda)
Emilie Renard soprano (as Sorceress)
Helen Charlston mezzo-soprano (as First Witch)
Martha McLorinan mezzo-sporano (as Second Witch)Louise Kemény soprano (as Second Woman)
Nick Pritchard tenor (as Sailor)
Richard Bannan baritone (as Spirit)
"As Dorabella, Irish mezzo Rachel Kelly glowed with a warmth expressive of the younger sister's impulsive, passionate nature. The full, rich tone of her Act 2 confession of indiscretion. 'E amore un ladroncello' (Love is a little thief), was winningly honest."
Opera Today, November 2017
Rachel Kelly (Dorabella), Ilya Kutyukhin (Guglielmo),
Cosi Fan Tutte - Glyndebourne on Tour
Photo: Tristram Kenton
“Rachel Kelly’s bright, wide-eyed Dorabella. Kelly's winningly sly Dorabella - vocally reminiscent of Ann Murray's - was the perfect foil.”
Hugh Canning, Opera Magazine, December 2017
“But then there’s Rachel Kelly, who plays her sister Dorabella with irresistible charm and openness, singing beautifully”
The Guardian, October 2017
"Rachel Kelly (Dorabella) the pick of the women"
Whats on Stage, October 2017
“Rachel Kelly sang a delicious Dorabella, radiating honeyed warmth”
Bachtrack, October 2017
"Kirsten MacKinnon and Rachel Kelly make a marvellous pair as Fiordiligi and Dorabella. Alike in many ways yet clearly different in voice and appearance as well as in their responses, they act most convincingly while singing their richly-ornamented arias and duets magnificently."
Eastern Daily Press, November 2017
"Kelly’s Dorabella is also puckishly full of naughty fun and has a very expressive face, perfect for this role. "
Norwich Eye, November 2017