Photographer: Rachael Hegarty
“Mezzo-soprano Rachel Kelly sparkles in the title role as the slave girl in Rossini’s Adina.”
THE IRISH EXAMINER, Oct 2019
“The Irish mezzo-soprano Rachel Kelly tackles the title role in Rossini’s Adina with full-voiced brio.”
THE IRISH TIMES, Oct 2019
“Rachel Kelly’s coloratura dazzled, spinning notes up into soprano territory, with a top C sharp flung in (Lisette Oropesa took the role in Pesaro). Capped by a perfect trill and feisty stage presence”
BACHTRACK, Oct 2019
“Displaying versatility and beauty, her vocal performance was wonderfully expressive and captured the spirit of the presentation, her coloratura dazzled, her trilling was spot on and she managed to hit a top C sharp, all of which was supported by some fine acting, and all done with a humorous air.”
OPERAWIRE, Oct 2019
“Irish mezzo, Rachel Kelly, was superb in the title role throwing herself into this fairy-tale world with gusto. The bel canto melodies were beautifully shaped, the coloratura delivered with sparkling brio and the top notes hit squarely and cleanly.”
SEENANDHEARD INTERNATIONAL, Oct 2019
“Believable children from grown-up opera singers are a must, and glamorous Rachel Kelly’s transformation into a feisty boy is utterly convincing; she’s also the most sheerly lustrous singer of the evening.”
THE ARTS DESK, June 2019
“Above all, the mezzo-soprano Rachel Kelly and soprano Susanna Hurrell, singing the title roles of the children lost in the forest, were unbeatable: credible, touching, and terrific actors and singers who know when to stop.”
THE GUARDIAN, June 2019
“Rachel Kelly performed the double role of L’eternita/Giunone with a dark, powerful voice and delicate vocal line.”
OPERAWIRE, MARCH 2019
“There’s humanity and warmth in her voice and an artful way of story-telling in the ‘King of thule’ ballad, with rich expression in her ‘D’amour l’ardente flamme’ aria in the final part”
(***** THE ARTS DESK, MARCH 2019)
“Mezzo-soprano Rachel Kelly, stepping in at a very late stage, was a mellifluous Marguerite with the Halle”
(***** THE TELEGRAPH, MARCH 2019)
“Stepping in at very short notice … Kelly sang with delicate elegance and unwavering beauty of sound, most of all in an exquisitely gentle ballad about the King of Thule”
(BACHTRACK, FEBRUARY 2019)
“the solo vocal performances were compelling: Rachel Kelly’s Marguerite, driven wild with love and shame”
(***** THE TIMES, FEBRUARY 2019)
“[Kelly] duetting limpidly with viola and cor anglais soloist in her “Roi de Thule” ballad and the ravishing D’amour l’ardente flamme, and sensuously with her tenor in their love scene”
(SUNDAY TIMES, MARCH 2019)
"Success must surely follow Rachel Kelly, as excellent vocally as scenically, who embodies this brave lover of Isolier, page of the count. Everything seems to vibrate in the music with this Irish mezzo, welcome to our shores"
Anaclase, Dec 2018
"Her interpretation of the trouser role is the most believable of the play. With her wig and movements, she really feels like a man. Her mezzo-soprano is beautiful, we are rocked by the melody of her voice that sings for her sweetheart."
https://bit.ly/2B82GF0 , Dec 2018
"The third lover of the trio, Rachel Kelly, offers a beautifully made Isolier with a fleshy tone, precise projection and superb highs"
ForumOpera, Dec 2018
"Dressed in a sailor's suit, the singer identifies her character by offering an Isolier with a flexible voice, a fine vibrato and a melodic line."
Olyrix, Dec 2018
“Rachel Kelly’s sparkly Sesto”
Opera Magazine, June 2018
"Mezzo-soprano Rachel Kelly in the role of Isabella was absolutely perfect. She has it all: good looks, intelligent acting, a solid vocal technique and a memorable voice. To be noted is that Isabella is a role written for contralto. Kelly’s voice has an impressively broad range and she not only moves effortlessly from the high pitches to the lowest notes, but she – rather unusually – seemed to deliver her best in both of those extremes: her top notes did not lose, but amplify her voice’s velvety quality, while you were left to admire the depth of her lower notes, especially surprising at her young age and within such a slender frame."
Bachtrack, June 2018
"The cast sparkle across the ensemble. Rachel Kelly makes light work of the coloratura in her debut in the title role."
Irish Examiner, June 2018
"Kelly charmed and touched in her two big solos" - Marguerite, Damnation de Faust
The Times, May 2018
"Mezzo Rachel Kelly, as Medarse in both presence and voice, is a beautiful androgynous image, and knows how to impress ('Fra l'orror della tempesta') and how to move the audience ('Tu decidi del mio fato') with a slender and concentrated but warm voice."
Alba Klassiek NL, February 2018
“For the role of Siroe’s brother Medarse, they engaged the Irish mezzo-soprano Rachel Kelly. She sang the beautiful lines of her role with a full, smooth tone”
Opera Magazine NL, January 2018
“Siroe’s brother Medarse was performed by Rachel Kelly, who has a mature, beautifully polished mezzo. Brilliantly sung.”
Opera Gazet, January 2018
“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
"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 confessionof indiscretion. 'E amore un ladroncello' (Love is a little thief), was winningly honest."
Opera Today, November 2017
“the mezzo Rachel Kelly was a marvellously vengeful Sesto (Giulio Cesare).”
Opera Magazine, November 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
"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
"There was not a single weak link among the ten-strong cast, but particular accolades should go to Tim Mead as Endimione, whose countertenor was so rounded and polished that it felt ethereal, and Rachel Kelly as Giunone whose Mezzo-Soprano was beautifully full and tonally strong."
Music OMH, December 2016
"her way of tempering her clear, high mezzo with subtle vocal shading - for example, when launching the quartet 'Andro ramingo e solo' with heroic determination tapering off to a youthful uncertainty - was highly imaginative. "
Opera Magazine, December 2016
"Rachel Kelly as Donna Elvira furiously charges across the stage, her bright and agile mezzo-soprano effectively conveying both the drama and private pain. Her rendition of Elvira's lovesick aria was touching."
Bachtrack, November 2016
"Rachel Kelly channels Donna Elvira's anxious vulnerability through her sensitive soprano."
The Guardian, November 2016
"Her operatic background became immediately apparent in her ability to imbue each poem with a sense of narrative and dramatic development. Her bright soprano has a crystalline clarity and sparkled in the higher ranges."
Bachtrack, October 2016
"Rachel Kelly’s multi-layered mezzo conveyed Semiramide’s ardour, and she was accompanied by beautifully focused, well-tuned flutes and horns who conjured a pastoral idyll. Kelly had no trouble negotiating the floridity of the da capo repeat, singing with vibrant dynamism."
Opera Today, September 2016
"Rachel Kelly, sparkling in scarlet, is certainly 'your man' for this, a gorgeous rich mezzo with bright top notes."
Bachtrack, September 2016
"There's a bright, focused depth to Rachel Kelly's mezzo - splendidly demonstrated in Classical Opera's superbly-cast performance earlier this season of Jommelli's Il Vologeso - which suggests boundless reserves, and she lent emotional weight to Semiramide's charming pastorale."
Arts Desk, September 2016
"The stars of the evening were two irish singers, soprano Anna Devin, who impressed as an emotionally rounded Ilia, and mezzo-soprano Rachel Kelly, whose Idamante was consistently sharply focused. Both singers' handling of the work's finely tailored recitative was in a class apart from the rest of the cast."
The Irish Times, August 2016
"Anna Devin as Trojan princess Ilia and Rachel Kelly as Idamante were expressive, evenly matched voices that produced some of the finest duets of the evening."
Irish Examiner, August 2016
“The mezzo-soprano Rachel Kelly, as the eponymous hero, was the only one of the soloists not relying on the score, and her first bravura aria was spirited and exciting. Kelly’s vocal agility and bright, well-centred tone enabled her to create a thrilling portrayal.”
Opera Magazine, July 2016
“Rachel Kelly, a total natural with a vibrant mezzo voice seemingly flawless throughout the range…Kelly made her urgency felt, persuading us with natural body language as well as focused urgency that the recitatives are as crucial a part of the drama as the arias and finales.”
Arts Desk, May 2016
“Her bravura aria “Invan Minacci” displayed an heroic, bright upper register and agile runs, while her long crescendo on the first syllable of “lasciami” in “Cara, deh serbami” gradually bled warmth into her voice – a nuanced, dramatic portrayal.”
Bachtrack, May 2016
"In the title role, Rachel Kelly was superb, with her mezzo-soprano being full and lush, and her phrases being rounded off to perfection."
Music OMH, April 2016
“Rachel Kelly, who has the most lyrical music in the piece, is both an affecting stage presence and technically excellent”
Seen & Heard, February 2016
“Catherine [is] sung with fresh-toned lyricism by mezzo Rachel Kelly”
The Guardian, January 2016
“Rachel Kelly as Catherine, her strong mezzo soaring to the top of the score, takes charge”
Bachtrack, January 2016
“For sheer vocal fireworks, however, the palm went to the feckless Nerone of Rachel Kelly, still firing off the coloratura accurately in ‘Come nube’, at the end of a long evening.”
Opera Magazine, November 2015
“the delicate, deeply dramatic performance delivered by Rachel Kelly in a scene from Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust. Her minimalist but emotional approach to Marguerite was one of the treats of the afternoon.”
A Younger Theatre, July 2015
“Irish mezzo Rachel Kelly had the stage to herself in…”D’amour l’ardente flame” and Kelly, wrapped in furs, impressed with her warm mezzo, with glorious, even emission across Berlioz’s long phrases.”
Bachtrack, July 2015
“...an unusually strong seconda donna: though still on Covent Garden’s young artist programme, the Irish mezzo-soprano Rachel Kelly is feisty as the gypsy Zaida.”
The Telegraph, April 2015
“the radiant young mezzo Rachel Kelly, who’s a feisty Zaida”
What’s On Stage, April 2015
“The bright young singer in this production is Rachel Kelly as Zaida”
Bachtrack, April 2015
“Rachel Kelly possesses a beautifully burnished mezzo-soprano and her portrayal of Zaida feels effortless.”
Opera Online, April 2015
“As Zaida, Irish mezzo-soprano Rachel Kelly impressed…When I heard Kelly last year, in the role of Mirinda in the ROH’s production of L’Ormindo at the Globe Theatre, I remarked the ‘rich sensuality’ of her voice, and this glowing warmth was much in evidence again.”
Opera Today, April 2015
“Kelly as Selim’s abandoned Zaida struck me as excellent, a rich, warm, even mezzo with some glints of steel, who should make a fabulous Isabella (in Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri)”
Opera Britannia, April 2015
“Rachel Kelly’s fresh, vibrant Zaida gave constant pleasure – what a season this very promising young singer is having, with her much-praised roles in L’Ormindo andOrfeo”
Music OMH, April 2015
“Young Rachel Kelly’s delightful gypsy-girl Zaida vocally lifts the show”
The Times, April 2015
“As Mirinda, Rachel Kelly has a burnished, mature mezzo-soprano”
Music OMH, February 2015
“but it’s the young mezzo Rachel Kelly whose appearances as Erisbe’s confidante, Mirinda, [that] prove the most luminous.”
What’s On Stage, February 2015
“They sound as gorgeous as they look, the utterly compelling Rachel Kelly especially”
Arts Desk, January 2015
“Rachel Kelly projected lordly grace as Proserpina”
What’s On Stage, January 2015
“Amongst a very strong cast, Rachel Kelly’s Proserpina stood out for the sheer beauty of her tone and the elegance of her phrasing”
Music OMH, January 2015
"There was another glimmer of beauty in Jette Parker Young Artist soprano Rachel Kelly, who has a lovely voice and a stunning stage presence. I predict a huge star in the making"
Spear's Magazine, October 2014
"Rachel Kelly makes a big impression in her small role"
The Stage, October 2014
“Kelly has covered herself in glory during her term in the young artists nurturing programme at Covent Garden. Her opener, the emotion-laden Voi che sapete from Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro was both charming and captivating. However, it was the Rossini that followed, his love and forgiveness aria Nacqui all’affanno from La Cenerentola, that grabbed the attention and revealed the true blossoming of an outstanding young singer’s talent with an assured and affecting rendering. You can’t spend a lunchtime hour better than this.”
Sunday Business Post, August 2014
“Rachel Kelly has a lovely mezzo, sweet-toned and agile but very centred, which made Dorabella’s ‘Smanie implacabili’ a winning number, despite its mock-hysterics.”
Opera Today, July 2014
"ROH Jette Parker Young Artist Rachel Kelly made a strong impression as Mirinda."
The Observer, March 2014
"Rachel Kelly is engaging and sweet-toned as the maid, Mirinda."
Financial Times, March 2014
"…Rachel Kelly a delectable Mirinda; her burnished tone brings Jean Rigby to mind."
Music OMH, March 2014
"The singing is superb… Rachel Kelly is a vision of loveliness as the scheming servant Mirinda, her mature mezzo belying a slender frame."
What’s on Stage, March 2014
“…by far the liveliest ensembles are the ones involving Simona Mihai’s Frasquita and Rachel Kelly’s Mercedes, both young singers to watch …”
The Times, December 2013
“Rachel Kelly was strong as Mércèdes.”
Opera Today, December 2013
“Rachel Kelly’s Mercedes indicated a Carmen in waiting ….”
Classical Source, December 2013
“Rachel Kelly was a special delight as the titular moggy…”
The Telegraph, October 2013
“…Rachel Kelly gave a beautifully nuanced account of the title-role… demonstrating feline prancings and body language… a source of constant delight in her understanding of not only the idiom but many individual touches of phrasing and vocal timbre.”
Seen & Heard, October 201
“The best singing came from mezzo soprano Rachel Kelly’s Cherubino, effortlessly full-voiced and boyishly hearty.”
The Irish Times, June 2013