Serena Kay - Mezzo Soprano

Agent: Rosamond Criddle
rc@ingpen.co.uk

Ingpen and Williams Limited
International Artists' Management
7 St George's Court
131 Putney Bridge Road
London SW15 2 PA
Tel: +44 20 8874 3222
Fax: +44 20 8877 3113
www.ingpen.co.uk

Serena Kay has a wide and growing repertoire, ranging from Handel and Rossini Coloratura Operatic roles to concert performances of Mahler and Berlioz. She was born in London and after graduating from London University with a Bachelor of Music (Hons), completed the Opera Course at the Royal College of Music (2000-2002) as the Veronica Mansfield Scholar.

RCM student roles include Marianna (Il Signor Bruschino); Guido (Flavio); Hermia (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, director John Copley) to critical acclaim, and Zita (Gianni Schicchi). Serena went on to be awarded the prestigious Rosemary Bugden Junior Fellowship at the RCM.

Since 2002, she has toured in the title role of Rossini’s Cenerentola for both Mid Wales Opera and Garden Opera; she has performed Second Lady (Magic Flute) in Opera North’s acclaimed new production; Cherubino (Figaro) for 'Opera! Festival' in Zeist , Holland ; Rosina (La Vera Costanza) for Bampton Classical Opera, and Hermia (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) for English Touring Opera. She was highly acclaimed for her performance as Sara (Tobias and the Angel by Jonathon Dove) in a joint production by the Young Vic and ETO.

Concert work includes a British Council tour of Greece in which she premiered the song cycle ‘Lumen Tristis’ (Christos Pittas) in the Greek language; J S Bach’s B Minor Mass and a concert performance of the title role in J C Bach’s opera Adrian o in Siria for the Classical Opera Company (both at St John's Smith Square); Alto Soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Huddersfield Choral Society; Bach’s B Minor Mass in Singapore, and Hansel in concert performances of Hansel and Gretel with the BBC Concert Orchestra.. Other performed repertoire includes Berlioz’s ‘Les Nuits d’Ete’; Mahler’s ‘Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen’; Durufle Requiem; Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius; Mahler’s 2 nd Symphony and a special 'Soiree d'Or' concert, performing Rosina to Gerald Finley’s Figaro in extracts from the Barber of Seville.

Engagements this season include Wagner’s ‘Wesendonck Lieder’ with the Lisbon Symphony Orchestra in Portugal; St John Passion with Grange Choral Society; Nancy T'ang/ Nixon in China at English National Opera, and Rosina/ Il barbiere di Siviglia for Nevill Holt Young Artists for Grange Park Opera.

CD Recordings include Mollison’s soundtracks for two BBC TV series Earth Story (Chandos) and Wild Weather; Kaiser’s Christmas Cantata (Guild Music); Banarzi’s Lux Aeterna (Aquamarin), and Une Journee Tranquille (feature film).

With the Samling Foundation: Course in Ullswater in May 2002 with Thomas Allen and Ileana Cotrubas.

Current: Junior Fellowship (Rosemary Bugden), Royal College of Music. Teacher: Paul Farrington.
2000-02: Benjamin Britten International Opera School, Royal College of Music Awarded (Distinction) Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Performance (Opera Singer). Teacher: Lillian Watson.
1998-00: Postgraduate Opera Associate, Guildhall School of Music, London. Teacher: Jessica Cash.
Dance: Ballet (Gold Medal), Jazz (Silver Medal).
Scholarships: Veronica Mansfield, Royal College of Music; Ian Karten Charitable Trust; Richmond Parish Lands Charity; Josephine Baker Trust; Madeline Finden Award.

Opera performances: 2003:  Opera North, Magic Flute, SECOND LADY;  Oxford Sinfonia, Berlioz's Les Nuits d'Ete, conducted by Michael Lloyd;  Huddersfield Choral Society, the Messiah conducted by Martin Brabbins, Alto solos.  2002: English National Opera, The rapture of Troy, ASCANIUS u/s; The Trojans at Carthage; Mid Wales Opera mt. Tour, Cenerentola, CENERENTOLA; Classical Opera Company, Adriano in Siria - JC Bach, ADRIANO; Britten International Opera, Gianni Schichi, ZITA. 2001: Britten International Opera, Midsummer Night's Dream, HERML4; Mananan Opera Festival, Cosi fan Tutte, DORA BELLA;
Young Vic Push Festival, Look No Hands! (Wallen), BETTINA; Garsington Opera, La Cazzetta, DORALICE u/s; Garsington Opera, Die Zauberfiote, CHORUS; Clonter Opera, Barber of Seville, ROSINA; London Handel Society (RCM), Flavio, GUIDO; LRSO (RCM), II Signor Bruschino, MARIA NNA; London Mozart Players, Le Nozze di Figaro, MARCELLINA. 2000: Garsington Opera, Le Nozze di Figaro, CHERUBINO u/s;
Garsington Opera, II Mondo della Luna, LISETTA u/s; Garsington Opera, Genoveva & Figaro, CHORUS;
British Youth Opera, Barber of Seville, ROSINA u/s; Guildhall Opera, Penelope, CLEONE u/s; European Chamber Opera, Die Zauberfiote, Milan Italy, CHORUS; Park Opera, Madame Butterfly, SUZUKI; Windsor & Eton Opera, lolanthe, IOLANTHE; Park Opera, Carmen, CARMEN; Mayer Lismann Opera, Faust i'Cosi fan Tutte, SIEBEL/DORABELLA. Also: Octavian, Der Rosenkavalier; Meg Falstaff; Pierotto Linda di Chamonix.

Recordings: Soloist on soundtrack: 'Earth Story' - Mollison: BBC TV series. Also CD (Chandos); 'Wild Weather' - Motlison: BBC TV series Also CD; 'Une Journee Tranquille' - Puccini: feature film; Soloist on CD: 'Christmas Cantata' - Kaiser. Guild Records; 'Lux Aeterna' - Banarzi. Aquamarin Verlag.

Press Reviews:

'B Minor Mass' by Bach. Concert with Philharmonic Chorus, Victoria Hall~ Singapore.
"Of the soloists, I think no one will disagree that the hero of the night was British mezzo soprano Serena Kay. From the Laua'amus te through to the Agnus Dea~ she sang with a most attractive voice, lightly firm in texture, clean, well-projected with clear words. She imbued a kind of formal beauty into the concert whenever she sang - and it seemed sometimes as if the Mass had turned into an extended cantata for solo mezzo, such was her presence."
THE STRAITS TIMES Singapore. November 2000.

'Ii Signor Bruschino' Opera by Rossini, Jack Lyons Theatre, Royal Academy of Music, director Robert Chevara. Conductor lain Leddingham.
"In the not insignificant role of the maid, Serena Kay's expressive eyes spoke volumes when she had nothing to sing."
OPERA MAGAZINE Review by Margaret Davies February 2001.

'Petite Messe Solennelle' by Rossini. Concert with Waverley Singers.
" The alto, Serena Kay, with her lovely tone, created a wonderfully pleading effect in Agrn.'s Del"
FARNHAM HERALD Review by Brenda Nevett November 2001

'Requiem' by Durufle. Concert with the South Chiltern Choral Society. University Great Hall. Reading.
" There are some very serene moments such as the Pie Jesu which was sung beautifully by Serena Kay, mezzo soprano."
HENLEY STANDARD Review by John Evans. April 2000

'Requiem' by Durufle and 'Lauda Zion' by Mendelssohn. Concert with Crowborough Choral Society.
" Serena Kay, mezzo soprano, has a thrilling voice that belies her attractive frame and she gave an effortlessly haunting performance."
Review by Keith Harcourt March 2002