Charlotte Ellett
Charlotte Ellett studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and the National Opera Studio. She began her career at Glyndebourne Festival where she made her début as Frasquita Carmen. She was later an Associate Artist at Welsh National Opera where her roles included Pamina Die Zauberflöte, Susanna Le nozze di Figaro, Musetta La Boheme, Frasquita Carmen, Amor Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, Angel Jephtha, Gretel Hänsel und Gretel and Karolka Jenufa, which she subsequently recorded for Chandos under Sir Charles Mackerras.
Charlotte Ellett’s operatic engagements have also included Hermia (Fleurette) in Offenbach’s Barbe Bleu at Buxton Festival, Chair The Chair in Love by John Metcalf in Montreal with a subsequent tour in the UK, and the leading role of Vespina in Haydn’s Country Matters (L’infedelta delusa) and Musetta, both with English Touring Opera. Her repertoire also includes Zerlina Don Giovanni, Adina L’elisir d’amore, Miss Wordsworth Albert Herring and Iphis Jephtha.
Charlotte Ellett regularly performs oratorio and recitals. Her major engagements have included Mozart Requiem at the Bridgewater Hall and Royal Festival Hall, Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall with Sir David Willcocks, Poulenc Stabat Mater at King’s College Cambridge and Bach Christmas Oratorio with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Her repertoire also includes Bach St Matthew Passion, Mendelssohn Elijah, Poulenc Gloria, and Rossini Stabat Mater.
An experienced recitalist, Charlotte Ellett’s has performed in the lunchtime series at St David’s Hall, Cardiff.
Charlotte Ellett recorded Mahler Das Klagende Lied as the Chorus soloist under Kent Nagano, and Rawsthorne Second Symphony for the Naxos label.
Charlotte Ellett’s recent engagements have included Despina Cosi fan tutte for Opera North, Pamina for Welsh National Opera, Marie in Rufus Wainwright’s new opera Prima Donna in Toronto, directed by Tim Albery, and a second UK tour as Chair The Chair in Love. She performed the world premiere of Hypermusic, prologue by Hector Parra with the Ensemble Intercontemporain, Paris.
November 2011
Peter Reed – OPERA
The Chair / The Chair in Love (John Metcalf)/ Playwrights Workshop Montreal (UK Tour)
“Charlotte Ellett sang the role of the chair particularly stylishly”
Rian Evans – The Guardian
"...there are some tremendous performances from the four strong cast, in particular Charlotte Ellett, a lyric soprano who plays The Chair beautifully. She has a wonderful command of the music and her role."
South Wales Evening Post
Musetta / La Boheme / English Touring Opera.
"The singing, though, is some of the best I have heard from ETO: a really promising Mimi and Marcello from Tamsin Coombs and Douglas Bowen; a scene-stealing Musetta (Charlotte Ellett), who could transfer to almost any of the big British companies tomorrow. . "
Hugh Canning - Sunday Times
The Angel / Jephtha / Welsh National Opera
"Charlotte Ellett was wonderfully mysterious as the angel, avoiding any sense of cuteness . . ."
ConcertoNet Newsletter
"Ellett, a beautiful, thoughtful presence."
A. Picard – The Independent
"Committed supporting performances from Susan Bickley, Daniel Taylor, Christopher Purves and Charlotte Ellett."
R. Christiansen – The Daily Telegraph
"Daniel Taylor’s Hamor combined coloratura agility with heart-felt expression, while Mark Padmore (Jephtha), Susan Bickley (Storge), and Charlotte Ellett (Angel) made equally telling contributions."
Plymouth Evening Herald
Welsh Singers Competition / St David’s Hall, Cardiff
"Charlotte Ellett’s bright soprano lent itself well to Handel and Mozart and was nightingale clear in Berg’s Die Nachtigall. She also showed a natural sparkle in Juliette’s aria ‘Je veux vivre’ from Gounod’s Faust… "
The Guardian
Frasquita / Carmen / Glyndebourne Touring Opera
"There was excellent work from Charlotte Ellett…a diamond-bright and surprisingly big-voiced Frasquita…"
Opera
Karolka / Jenufa / Welsh National Opera
"Charlotte Ellett made an impression as Karolka."
The Daily Telegraph
Pamina / Die Zauberflöte / Royal Northern College of Music
"Her soprano combines purity with a heavenly mezza voce."
The Manchester Evening News
"Charlotte Ellett as Pamina acts well and sings superbly."
The Stage
"Her Ach ich fühls was the revelation of beauty that Mozart designed it to be."
Sunday Telegraph
National Opera Studio Concert w. WNO Orchestra / Penarth
"Charlotte Ellett was a pert and lively Susanna with a pretty ring to the top of her voice. Her Despina in the sextet of the finale to Act 1 of Così fan tutte was a suitably fizzy end to the evening."
Opera
Countess of Munster Concert / Bristol Cathedral
"Mozart’s ‘Exsultate Jubilate’ found Miss Ellett in fine form, with subtle tenderness in the Andante and restrained exuberance in the famous ‘Alleluia.’ In Bach’s ‘Cantata 51’, she sang the chorale with great feeling whilst the final aria gave the soloist the chance to show her considerable skill."
Bristol Evening Post
Karolka Jenufa
Welsh National Opera / Sir Charles Mackerras
Chandos Records / Peter Moores Foundation 3106(2)
