Biography

Samantha joined the Welsh National Opera Chorus in January 2006 and is currently covering the role of Karolka in Jenufa. Earlier this year she was a soloist for the newly commissioned Carbon12 conducted by Carlo Rizzi, and covered Alice Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff and High Priestess in Verdi's Aida. In Autumn 2007, she performed the role of 2nd Bird in the world premiere of James Macmillan’s new opera The Sacrifice for WNO. Other roles for WNO include Beau in Sweetness and Badness for WNO MAX and Former Wife in Duke Bluebeard’s Castle. Samantha studied singing at the Royal College of Music and Birmingham Conservatoire. Prizes include the Symphony Hall Recital Competition, Cecil Drew Oratorio Competition, The Reginald Vincent Lieder Prize and The Great Elm Competition. Operatic roles include Lucia in the Hungarian premiere of The Rape of Lucretia for Opera Europe; Amarilli (Il Pastor Fido) for Harmonie Universal; 1st Lady (The Magic Flute) for Kentish Opera; Josephine (HMS Pinafore), Elsie (The Yeomen of the Guard), Yum-yum (The Mikado) all for The D’Oyly Carte Opera Company; Alice in Offenbach’s Dick Whittington for UCL Opera; Ida (Princess Ida) for the Buxton Festival; Elsie (Yeomen) for BYO at the Linbury Theatre; Poppea (Coronation of Poppea); Venus (Orpheus in the Underworld), Tigrane (Radamisto), Genevieve (Suor Angelica).

Samantha Hay, Soprano