HELEN KEARNS

Irish soprano Helen Kearns is one of the rising stars among opera and concert singers in Europe. Born in Dublin, she studied there at the Royal Academy of Music and later was awarded a scholarship to study under José Van Dam at the Opera Studio of La Monnaie National Opera Theatre and La Chapelle in Brussels. In 2009 she was selected as the Irish representative for the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World where she was given the Annie Sankey Bursary Award. She won First Prize and the Audience Prize at the International Young Singers Competition in Vienna and the Grand Prix Spécial du Jury at the International Singing Competition of Marmande. At 24 she made her début with Opéra de Rennes, Opéra de Nantes and Opéra d’Angers, singing the leading female rôle in John Casken’s opera Golem in its French première. Since then she has appeared in numerous venues around the world including La Scala in Milan, Opéra de Szeged in Hungary and the Sala Cecília Meireles in Rio de Janeiro. Orchestral appearances have included engagements with the Orchestre National de Belgique, Sinfonia Varsovia and the London Chamber Orchestra.