Amy Freston | soprano
Amy Freston was born in London and trained as a classical dancer before studying singing at the Royal Northern College of Music with Sandra Dugdale. She went on to the National Opera Studio where she was sponsored by Glyndebourne. The combination of her acting ability and vocal qualities have singled her out as one of the most compelling performers of the younger generation, much in demand on the operatic stage and concert platform.
Recent and future engagements include Idomeneo (Grange Park Opera)‚ Teseo for the Gottingen International Handel Festival‚ Dido and Aeneas (Opera North), The Owl and the Pussycat for ROH2 (London 2012 Festival)‚ Teseo for the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra in San Francisco‚ and Raymond Gubbay’s Strauss Gala tour.
Further operatic engagements include La Belle Helene (ENO)‚ James Macmillan’s Parthenogenesis (ROH Linbury)‚ Orlando (Early Opera Company‚ Zaide (Classical Opera Company)‚ The Philosopher’s Stone (Garsington)‚ Despina (English Touring Opera and Samling Foundation)‚ Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona with the Gabrieli Consort‚ Aminta Il re Pastore and the title role in Acis and Galatea (both for New Kent Opera). She created the roles of Io and Woman Three in Birtwistle’s The Io Passion directed by Stephen Langridge at the Aldeburgh‚ Almeida and Bregenz Festivals and Mirror Echo in The Second Mrs Kong with the BBC SO at the RFH.
In concert she has performed Bach with the OAE and Vladimir Jurowski‚ Carmina Burana with CBSO‚ Handel L'Allegro‚ il penseroso ed il moderato with Nicholas McGegan and Northern Sinfonia‚ Mozart’s C minor Mass with Manchester Camerata. Conductors she has worked with include Richard Farnes‚ Douglas Boyd‚ Martyn Brabbins‚ Dennis Comte‚ Gary Cooper‚ Edward Gardner‚ Simon Halsey‚ Nicholas Kok‚ Nicholas Kraemer‚ William Lacey‚ Louis Langrée and Thomas Roesner. She made her debut at the BBC Proms with the Nash Ensemble. Amy has worked with many notable directors‚ including: Phyllida Lloyd‚ Robert Carsen‚ Sir Peter Hall‚ Laurent Pelly‚ Richard Jones‚ Christopher Alden‚ Giles Havergal and Tim Albery.
Amy was a winner of the prestigious Joaninha Trust Award‚ and was generously supported in her studies by the Countess of Munster Musical Trust and the Peter Moores Foundation. She was also winner of the Glyndebourne on Tour Promise Award 2005.