Helen May

Voice Type:

Soprano

Nationality:

British

Country:

United Kingdom

Languages (fluent):

English, Portuguese

Experience

Opera

Aurore
Céphale et Procris (Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre)
Ensemble OrQuesta, The Cockpit
2023
Poppea
L'Incoronazione di Poppea (Monteverdi)
Ensemble OrQuesta, Arcola Theatre
2022
Mimi​
La Bohème (Puccini)
Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra
2022
Euridice, La Musica, Proserpina
L'Orfeo (Monteverdi)
Ensemble OrQuesta
2022
Emilie
Les Indes Galantes (Rameau)
Ensemble OrQuesta - Cockpit Theatre
2022
Jenůfa
Jenůfa (Janáček)
Aylesbury Opera - Court Theatre, Tring
2022
La Contessa
Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart)
HPO Ensemble - Ensemble OrQuesta
2021
Alcina
Alcina (Handel)
Théâtre Basse Passière, Normandy
2021
Alcina
Alcina (Handel)
Grimeborn Opera Festival, Arcola Theatre
2021
Climene
L'Egisto (Cavalli)
Hampstead Garden Opera
2021
Jenůfa
Jenůfa (Janáček)
Aylesbury Opera - Court Theatre, Tring
2020
Calisto (reprise)
La Calisto (Cavalli)
Ensemble OrQuesta - Cockpit Theatre
2020
Mrs Page
Sir John in Love (Vaughan-Williams)
Royal Academy Opera Scenes
2019
Tatyana
Eugene Onegin (Tchaikovsky)
Royal Academy Opera Scenes
2019
Aurora (cover)
Aurora (Noah Mosley)
Grimeborn Opera Festival
2019
Diane (reprise)
Hippolyte et Aricie (Rameau)
Grimeborn Opera Festival
2019
Alcina
Alcina (Handel)
Ensemble OrQuesta
2019
Pamina
Die Zauberflöte (Mozart)
Ensemble OrQuesta / Hastings Philharmonic
2019
Woodpecker
Cunning Little Vixen (Janáček)
Royal Academy Opera
2019
Nerone (reprise)
L'incoronazione di Poppea (Monteverdi)
Ensemble OrQuesta - Cockpit Theatre
2019
Amastre
Xerse (Cavalli)
Grimeborn Opera Festival
2018
Despina
Cosi fan Tutte (Mozart)
Woodhouse Opera Festival
2018
Amastre
Xerse (Cavalli)
Ensemble OrQuesta
2018
Galatea
Acis & Galatea (Handel)
Ensemble OrQuesta
2018
Giannetta
L'elisir d'Amore (Donizetti)
Woodhouse Opera Festival
2017
La Gloire, Melisse, La Bergere (reprise)
Armide (J.B. Lully)
Grimeborn Opera Festival - Arcola Theatre
2017
Nerone
L'incoronazione di Poppea (Monteverdi)
Woodhouse Opera & Ensemble OrQuesta
2017
Valletto
L'incoronazione di Poppea (Monteverdi)
Hampstead Garden Opera
2017
Calisto
La Calisto (Cavalli)
Woodhouse Opera & Ensemble OrQuesta
2017
Diane
Hippolyte et Aricie (Rameau)
Woodhouse Opera
2017
Barbarina
Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart)
Ensemble OrQuesta
2016
Calisto
La Calisto (Cavalli)
Barefoot Opera
2016
La Gloire, Melisse, La Bergere
Armide (J.B. Lully)
Woodhouse Opera
2016
Morgana
Alcina (Handel)
The New London Opera Players
2015
First Lady
The Magic Flute (Mozart)
Secret Opera
2015

Operetta/G&S

Edith
Pirates of Penzance (Gilbert & Sullivan)
Opera Anywhere
2018
Yum-Yum
The Mikado (Gilbert & Sullivan)
Opera Anywhere
2018
Peep Bo
The Mikado (Gilbert & Sullivan)
Opera Anywhere
2017

Contemporary Opera

Aurora (cover)
Aurora (Noah Moseley)
Grimeborn Opera Festival
2019
Aurora (cover)
Aurora (Noah Mosley)
Bury Court Opera
2019
Nimue
Merlin (Keith Beal)
Hastings Philharmonic
2018
Aisha (Cleo Cover)
Lizzie Strata's Sex Strike (R. Simmonds & D. Willcock)
Oxford Contemporary Opera
2016
Ruth
The Three Wayfarers (John Whittaker)
Opera Anywhere
2015

Early Music

2nd Soprano - ensemble and soloist
Madrigals (Monteverdi)
Ensemble OrQuesta Baroque
2023
Soprano Soloist
Petits Operas (Charpentier)
Festival L'Eté au Verger, Veyrier, Switzerland
2022
Soprano Soloist
Various (Bach)
Valéik: Sixième Saison - Martigny, Switzerland
2021
Soprano Soloist
Various (Bach)
Valéik: Sixième Saison - Sion, Switzerland
2021

Art Song

Soprano Soloist
Bachianas No 5 (Villa Lobos)
Christ Church, St Leonards
2023

Chorus

1st Soprano
The Mikado (Gilbert & Sullivan)
Opera Anywhere
2017
1st Soprano
H.M.S. Pinafore (Gilbert & Sullivan)
Opera Anywhere
2017
1st Soprano
The Pirates of Penzance (Gilbert & Sullivan)
Opera Anywhere
2017
1st Soprano - Chorus
La Bohème (Puccini)
Woodhouse Opera Festival
2016
1st Soprano, semi chorus
Don Giovanni (Mozart)
Hampstead Garden Opera
2015
1st Soprano, semi chorus
L'elisir d'amore (Donizetti)
Barefoot Opera - Young Artists' Tour
2015
Soprano
Manon (Massenet)
Opera Coast
2015

Oratorio/Concerts

Soprano Soloist
Oratorio de Noel (Saint Saens)
Billingshurst Choral Society
2023
Soloist
Choral Celebration (Handel, Mozart, Canteloube, Gershwin)
Bexhill Choral Society & Sussex Concert Orchestra
2023
Soloist
'Great' Mass in C minor (Mozart)
Hastings Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra
2023
Soprano Soloist
Requiem (Verdi)
Grange Choral Society
2022
Soprano Soloist
The Creation (Haydn)
Amey Theatre, Abingdon
2023
Soprano Soloist
Ein Deutsches Requiem (Brahms)
Hastings Philharmonic Choir
2022
Mezzo-soprano soloist
Mass in G minor (Vaughan Williams)
HPO Singers, Ensemble OrQuesta Baroque
2021
Soprano Soloist
Christmas Oratorio - Expectans expectavi (Saint Saens)
Bexhill Choral Society
2021
Soprano Soloist
Messiah - Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion (Handel)
Bexhill Choral Society
2021
Soprano Soloist
Missa Brevis (Raminsh)
Billingshurst Choral Society
2021
Soprano Soloist
Requiem (Fauré)
Billingshurst Choral Society
2021
Soprano Soloist
Opera Gala (Various)
Battle Festival Proms
2021
Soprano Soloist
Gloria (Vivaldi)
Hastings Philharmonic Choir
2021
Soprano Soloist
Messiah (Handel)
HPO Singers, Ensemble OrQuesta Baroque
2020
Soprano Soloist
Symphony No 3 - 'Sorrowful Songs' (Górecki)
St John's, Hyde Park
2020
Soprano Soloist
Coronation Mass (Mozart)
St John's, Hyde Park
2019
Soprano Soloist
Nelson Mass (Haydn)
Llandaff Cathedral
2019
Soprano Soloist
Ein Deutsches Requiem (Brahms)
St John's Hyde Park
2019
Soprano Soloist
Requiem (​Fauré)
St John's, Hyde Park
2019
Soprano Soloist
Missa brevis in ​B-flat major (Mozart)
St John's, Hyde Park
2019
Soprano Soloist
Petite Messe Solennelle (Rossini)
Hastings Philharmonic Choir
2019
Soprano Soloist
Mass in G (Franz Schubert)
Hastings Philharmonic
2017
Soprano Soloist
Two Psalms (Gustav Holst)
Hastings Philharmonic
2017
Soprano Soloist
Dixit Dominus (Handel)
Epiphoni Consort, St Martin in the Fields
2017
Soprano Soloist
A Ceremony of Carols (Britten)
Churchill Music Festival, Epiphoni Consort
2016
Soprano Soloist
Opera in the Woods/Museum/Library (Varied)
Opera Anywhere Recital Series
2015
Soprano, semi chorus
'Mankind' Play (Incidental Music) (Various)
The Epiphoni Consort
2015
Soprano Soloist
NHS Artlink Programme - Solo Recital (& Radio) (Various)
Churchill Hopsital, Oxford
2013
Soprano Soloist
Messiah (Handel)
Haslemere Chorus & Orchestra
2012
Soprano Soloist
Coronation Mass in C (Mozart)
Cardiff University Chamber Choir & Orchestra
2012
Soprano Soloist
Requiem (Fauré)
Cardiff University Chamber Choir & Orchestra
2012

Choral

Soprano Soloist
Serenade to Music (Ralph Vaughan-Williams)
Epiphoni Consort & Quire Voices of Santa Barbara
2016
Soprano Soloist
Bayeux (Orlando Gough)
Root 1066 Choral Festival 'Clash'
2016
Soprano Soloist
The Ecstasies Above (Tarik O'Regan)
Tribal Chamber Choir, RTE ConTempo Quartet
2016
Soprano Semi-Chorus
Hymn to the Virgin (Britten)
Tribal Chamber Choir
2016
Soprano 6
Spem in Alium (Tallis)
Brandenburg Choral Fest. St Martin in the Fields
2016
1st Soprano, semi chorus
Elijah (Mendelsohn)
The Bach Choir, London
2015
1st Soprano, semi chorus
Belshazzar's Feast (Walton)
The Bach Choir, London
2015
Soprano Soloist
Trois Chansons: 'Quant J'ai Ouy Le Tamborin' (Debussy)
The Cantus Ensemble
2014
Soprano Soloist
8 Chansons Francaises: 'Margoton Va Ta L'lau' (Poulenc)
The Cantus Ensemble
2014
Soprano 4
Spem in Alium (Tallis)
The Tallis Scholars
2012

Film/TV

Soprano Vocalist
APEX - Independant Film Trailer (James Thomas - META)
Numinous Pictures
2018

Discography

Soprano Soloist
'Suddenly Clouds of Snow' - CD Recording (R.Simmonds)
Musica Viva, Oxford
2017
1st Soprano
'Sudden Light' - CD Recording (David Bednall)
Epiphoni Consort
2016
1st Soprano
'Footprints' - CD Recording (Will Todd)
Wellensian Consort
2014

Covered Covered & Performed Scenes Premiere of New Work Concert COVID-cancelled

Awards

DipRAM for Outstanding Final Recital Performance – Royal Academy of Music, Master of Arts (2020)

Josephine Baker Trust (2019)

Choral Scholarship, St John's Hyde Park (2018)

Geraint Evans Recital Prize for Outstanding Vocal Performance - Cardiff University (2011)

David Lloyd Vocal Scholarship - Cardiff University (2009)

Special Provisions Music Place - Wells Cathedral School (2007)

Dikon Peschek Memorial Scholarship - Wantage Parish Church (2006)

Education

DipRAM
Royal Academy of Music
2020
Preparatory Opera Course
Royal Academy of Music
2019–2020
Master of Art (Voice) - Distinction
Royal Academy of Music
2018–2020
Vocal LRSM
ABRSM
2014
Vocal Dip ABRSM
ABRSM
2013
BMus (Hons)
Cardiff University
2009–2012
Special Provisions Music Place
Wells Cathedral School
2007–2009