Ellie Laugharne studied on the Guildhall School of Music & Drama Opera course after graduating from Birmingham University and Birmingham Conservatoire and went on to win the 2011 Musicians Benevolent Fund Maggie Teyte Prize and Miriam Licette Scholarship, performing a recital in the Crush Room at the Royal Opera House. In 2012 she was a Jerwood Young Artist for the Glyndebourne Festival and more recently an Associate Artist for Opera North. She is also a Samling Artist and a Company Artist for The Mozartists.
Recent and future engagements include Susanna Le Nozze di Figaro (The Mozartists and Dorset Opera Festival), Adele Die Fledermaus (The Grange FestivL), Cupid Orpheus in the Underworld, Frasquita Carmen and Phyllis Iolanthe (ENO), Pamina The Magic Flute and a staged Mozart Requiem(Opera North), Eliza Doolittle My Fair Lady (Liceu, Barcelona and The Grange Festival), Gianetta The Gondoliers and Princess Zara Utopia, Limited (Scottish Opera), Susanna Le nozze di Figaro and Elsie Maynard The Yeomen of the Guard (The Grange Festival), Polissena in Handel’s Radamisto (Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra in San Francisco with Richard Egarr), Servilia La Clemenza di Tito (Chelsea Opera Group), Asteria Tamerlano, cover Belinda Dido and Aeneas and a semi-staged performance of the St Matthew Passion (English Touring Opera), and the title role of Helen in Blackheath Halls’ production of Offenbach’s La Belle Hélenè.
Further operatic appearances include Susanna Le nozze di Figaro and Lucia The Rape of Lucretia (in a new production by Fiona Shaw) for Glyndebourne on Tour; Phyllis Iolanthe and Barbarina Le nozze di Figaro (ENO); Adina L’elisir d’amore, Frasquita and Mabel The Pirates of Penzance (Scottish Opera); Governess The Turn of the Screw, Tina Flight and Zerlina Don Giovanni (Opera Holland Park); Despina Cosi fan tutte, Gretel Hänsel und Gretel and Susanna Le nozze di Figaro (Opera North); Sandrina La Finta Giardiniera and Edna in Dove's Tobias and the Angel (Buxton Festival); Valencienne The Merry Widow (International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival) and Yum Yum The Mikado (Raymond Gubbay Productions in London, Birmingham and Manchester). At GSMD, Ellie’s roles included Sophie Werther, Sophie Der Rosenkavalier, Frasquita, Morgana Alcina, Nanetta Falstaff, Marzelline Fidelio, Anna Reich Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor and Tytania A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Among her concert engagements are Mozart’s Requiem (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra); St John Passion (Ulster and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestras); Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy (Edinburgh International Festival); a programme of music commemorating the Battle of the Somme for Brighton Festival; Auretta in Mozart’s unfinished opera L’oca del Cairo, completed by Stephen Oliver for the London Mozart Players, and recitals for Glyndebourne, Opera North, the Ryedale Festival and with the Myrthen Ensemble. With Classical Opera and Ian Page, Ellie has performed Haydn’s cantata Applausus and Zerlina Don Giovanni at Cadogan Hall and made her debut at Wigmore Hall singing Bastienne in Mozart’s Bastien und Bastienne.
Although both play and opera are named after Figaro, Susanna is the centre of gravity in Mozart’s incarnation. Sung tonight by a lambent Ellie Laugharne, from the start, with mischief, grace, the effervescence her character demands, but also the aplomb – a searing “Deh, vieni non tardar, o gioia bella” was perhaps the high point of the evening – that makes her the opera’s moral core.
even if the love duet, None Shall Part Us, is accompanied by an excess of comic business, Marcus Farnsworth’s Strephon and Ellie Laugharne’s Phyllis still preserve its amorous intensity.
Laugharne’s sound reveals the same sweetness and shape that defined her performance the first time around.
You could object to the stage hands and property sheep pulling focus as Marcus Farnsworth and Ellie Laugharne sang Strephon and Phyllis' Act One duet, a lovely number, engagingly sung. But it was very funny and Farnsworth and Laugharne both have strong enough musical characters and stage presence to cope.
As Phyllis and Strephon, it was clear that Ellie Laugharne and Marcus Farnsworth were have the time of their lives, but the gave fine musical performances. That opening duet was beautifully sung, despite the comedy sheep, and their tap number in Act Two was daft but engaging.
the bright-eyed Phyllis, is vividly portrayed by Ellie Laugharne.
John Savournin’s Lord Chancellor, Samantha Price’s Iolanthe, Ellie Laugharne’s Phyllis and Marcus Farnsworth’s Strephon are a supremely talented quartet who somehow manage to keep a straight face amidst this cavalcade of wonderfully chaotic comedy.
The cast was further strengthened by the excellent pairing of Ellie Laugharne as Phyllis and Marcus Farnsworth as Strephon, Arcadian shepherds, working extremely well together with their costumes delightfully reflecting the colour and pattern of a Wedgwood blue china set.
Soprano Ellie Laugharne and baritone Marcus Farnsworth both return to the production as the slightly ridiculous lovestruck shepherds Phyllis and Strephon. They are a well-matched pair both vocally and physically with Laugharne’s crystalline soprano and Farnsworth’s smooth baritone coalescing beautifully in the melodic glory of “If we’re weak enough to tarry” as the couple urge each other to marry the other immediately to avoid the pitfalls of ten inevitable boredom that will set in.
Phyllis, his alternatingly sweet and distressed beloved, is played by the delightful Ellie Laugharne. They are dressed in Act I in a matching set of white covered with blue prints, looking for all the world like a pair of animated Victorian tea cups.
The duet was sung by Farnsworth and Laugharne with all of the tenderness for which one could ask. From a purely musical standpoint, it was lovely to listen to
Laugharne, particularly, is an excellent comic actor, with great timing and a very expressive face. Her short coloratura section is equally impressive. But it’s hard to pick a standout performance.
Ellie Laugharne was luxury casting as Servilia, she was delightfully response in her recitatives, moving and stylish in her lovely aria, "S'altro che lagrime".
Ellie Laugharne and Niamh O’Sullivan as Frasquita and Mercédès respectively, offered highly convincing, individual performances in their smaller roles.
We last saw Ellie Laugharne as Elsie Maynard in Gilbert & Sullivan's The Yeomen of the Guard at the Grange Festival. This was very, very different and a remarkable change. Laugharne's voice is perhaps on the lighter side for the role, but she brought a sense of steel to the character. Never pushing the voice beyond lovely, but physically and vocally giving us the feeling of the rigidity of her feelings. Laugharne's body rarely relaxed, she was bolt upright, very much her father's daughter. We never doubted her feelings for Hall's Andronico, but her commitment to her father overrode everything. The remarkable scene that ended Act Two (with its echoes of a similar scene with Ottone in the previous night's Agrippina) really gripped and the act ended with her touching and moving aria.
Ellie Laugharne’s Asteria was immensely appealing. Her voice was full of warmth and lilt with a touch of glitter at the top, alternating strength and vulnerability with equal conviction.
Francesca Cuzzoni was the first Asteria, and the role is a terrific portrait of heroic feminine conviction. Ellie Laugharne’s soprano is quite light, but she shaped her lines into beautiful contours and absolutely convinced in her portrayal of both Asteria’s pain and her defiance. She proved a discerning, dignified actress and both Asteria’s Act 2 closing aria and her duet with Andronico – a rare ensemble – were transfixing musically and theatrically.
The star of the evening was Ellie Laugharne as Asteria: dignified and expressive, singing with an aching purity that was matched by acting of unaffected sincerity. She’s compelling, without ever being insistent: one of those singers who don’t make the big headlines, but are unfailingly excellent in everything they touch.
I was slightly worried at first that Ellie Laugharne, playing Asteria, wouldn’t muster the vocal heft to match up to the boys, but the very lightness of her voice becomes a strength. Trapped between her father’s pyrrhic pride and her conqueror’s lust, Asteria is like a crushed flower, and Laugharne conveys this vulnerability perfectly.
My fair lady' makes history as the first work of this genre in the Liceu - The debut of the musical genre at the Liceu, by the hand of the classic 'My fair lady', resulted in undeniable success. The talent, wisdom and excellence of a seamless cast of true specialists, a handful of singer-actors of extraordinary dramatic capacity...the soprano Ellie Laugharne drew an extraordinary Eliza Doolittle both in the musical sections and in her performance as an actress.
My fair lady' makes history as the first musical at the Liceu, The classic by Lerner and Loewe dazzles in the Barcelona Liceu with its irresistible charm - You have to take your hat off to the talent of the interpreters who gave life to the endearing characters of this jewel of the genre with talent, trade and their own personality. Soprano Ellie Laugharne brought grace and charm to Eliza Doolittle, the foul-mouthed florist from Covent Garden who ends up transforming into a sophisticated lady...With extraordinary class on stage, both embroidered characters marked in the memory of fans of the genre by the legendary couple formed by Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison. And they did so by contributing their personal stamp: Laugharne sang with elegance and lyrical flight their great songs -with 'I could have danced all night' as the jewel of the evening- and outlined the character admirably as an actress.
An unrivaled international premiere' - ...if we talk about the main characters of the musical, it must be said that what we experienced yesterday was an absolute dream. Vocal quality, interpretive quality and mutual admiration between them, heralded five minutes after the start of the show that this was going to be a success. So it was. Perfection would be the word to encompass what happened last night. To highlight, the interpretations of Ellie Laugharne, as Eliza Doolittle, in her evolution (vocal and interpretive) as a foul-mouthed florist to a lady of high society and a confident woman.
Soprano Ellie Laugharne played the role of Eliza Doolittle with the utmost reliability: mastery of singing and acting skills that were deservedly applauded.
Ellie Laugharne, who led the cast as Eliza Doolittle, lived up to the challenge in all its aspects, especially in the theater. Filling the scene at all times, she drew with humour and subtlety the character’s transition.
The masks come off for this dark and delicious My Fair Lady' - Unsworth avoids the most immediate problem regarding the dubious power dynamic between Eliza Dolittle and phonetician Henry Higgins, determined to prove he can turn a guttersnipe into a duchess, by casting Eliza not as a filthy mouthed ingenue but as a full grown woman clearly capable of looking after herself. Ellie Laugharne is marvellous, too - scowling and caterwauling away as the flower girl whose vowels so agonise the ears of Steven Pacey’s suavely tyrannical Henry. Moreover she only reveals what she is vocally capable of until the moment she literally finds a new voice, unleashing I Could Have Danced All Night with a quivering, startling opulence.
Real intimacy: Lerner & Loewe's My Fair Lady in a concert staging at The Grange Festival' - From the first notes of Eliza's wail when her flower-stall is knocked over, it was clear the Ellie Laugharne's flower girl was a wondrous creation...this Eliza was a living, breathing being, strong minded and with an element of determination. 'Wouldn't it be loverly' was finely sung and well judged, not being hammed up too much...Laugharne managed to deftly suggest the fragility of Eliza's early success, pronouncing everything with a careful correctness, whilst 'Just you wait' was almost hissed with quiet intensity rather than shouted.
Two other stellar performances come from Carmen’s partners in crime – Frasquita and Mercédès, played by Ellie Laugharne and Samantha Price respectively. These two gypsy women throw the much-needed comedy into the mix. Drunkenly hoaxing soldiers to give them money for sex, or at least the promise of it. They make light of their fairly tragic circumstances.
Soprano Ellie Laugharne turns in a fantastic performance as ditsy moll Frasquita
soprano Ellie Laugharne was an effervescent Frasquita.
If I suggest that Ellie Laugharne (Frasquita) and Samantha Price (Mercédès) were a frightful double act, that’s a positive comment in the context of this production: in fact, the card scene was one of the most persuasive and ‘human’ episodes in the performance.
Ellie Laugharne was a deliciously fresh-voiced Frasquita, again superbly paired with another gypsy, Samantha Price’s strong Mercèdes.
the fortune-telling scene enjoyed impressive movement and singing from Ellie Laugharne and Samantha Price as Frasquita and Mercédès.
The supporting roles too stood out on the night and brought energy to the stage. Carmen’s friends, Frasquita and Mercédès, impressed with their bright sounding sopranos in the trios with Gringté, and the quintet with Matthew Durkan, Dancer, and John Findon, Remendado, was very entertaining.
The interplay and performances of Mercédès and Frasquita (Ellie Laugharne) worked very well, providing a good basis for the wild gypsy atmosphere, which did come across well.
Carmen’s friends Frasquita (Ellie Laugharne) and Mercedes (Samantha Price) are both raunchy in your face don’t mess with me good time girls, all cowboy boots, tattoos and bras stuffed with cash. Congratulations to them.
Ellie Laugharne and Samantha Price gave sympathetic performances as Frasquita and Mercédès.
Soprano Ellie Laugharne as Cupid and bass-baritone Sir Willard White as smoothie Jupiter stand out in a strong supporting cast.
Culture Whisper
Ellie Laugharne as Cupid, wore gold hot pants brilliantly and showed how to work the role with charm in this big space.
Planet Hugill
Ellie Laugharne looks and sounds good as the gold-lame hot-pant wearing Cupid.
Opera Today
Ellie Laugharne’s bright tones fall on the ear sweetly.
Classical Source
Ellie Laugharne’s sparky, saucy Cupid.
Spectator
There was luxury casting throughout the remainder of the experienced cast...Ellie Laugharne a perky Cupid
Seen and Heard
Soprano Ellie Laugharne is perfectly cast as Helen, combining virtuosic singing with a real gift for comedy, particularly in her passion for shepherds.
thegreenwichvisitorblog.com
And opera doesn’t come much more heartwarming than Blackheath Hall’s outstanding production of Offenbach’s fizzing La Belle Hélène...a starry lineup of principals, led by Ellie Laugharne as the beautiful Hélène...those lucky enough to get there won’t stop smiling.
The Guardian
Ellie Laugharne (Helen) had just the right sense of fun needed for this role – a young soprano of whom we shall certainly hear a lot more. operetta-research-center.org
In Ellie Laugharne’s hands, Helen is a flighty blonde with a steely determination and a ringing voice to match.
Classical Source
So, it brings me to whom I felt was the star of the evening, Ellie Laugharne as Susanna. She is a fine actress and singer, her voice never tiring and her ability to alter posture showing effrontery through elegance to irritation is captivating. She does not overdo the scene when she discovers Figaro embracing his newly discovered mother whom Susanna assumes to be supplanting her as his wife and her rapport with Mihai and Lorenzo in Act Four is exemplary.
Classical Source
Ellie Laugharne stood out as Susanna for clarity of tone and quality of legato; tightly-wound, she showed just the right combination of frustration and amusement. Barely able to conceal her physical repulsion of Almaviva, we were given a woman determined to do her utmost to take control of her fate.
BachTrack
...the ease with which Ellie Laugharne creates a vibrant Susanna, impressing as a feisty no-nonsense wife-to-be in the opening duet, and thereafter determined to thwart the Count’s libidinous schemes, while also making sure her beloved toes the line. It’s a full flesh-on-the-bones characterisation.
Opera Today
Ellie Laugharne grew in authority and impact until a barnstormingly beautiful “Deh vieni” smashed the ball out of the park.
The Arts Desk
…the enchanting Ellie Laugharne melts all ours in her raptly phrased “Deh Vieni”.
The Times
Ellie Laugharne’s grounded Susanna and Simona Mihai's sorrowful Countess offer real depth of feeling, and the opera’s final healing message of love and forgiveness rings completely true.
The Times
Ellie Laugharne and Roberto Lorenzi made a lively Susanna and Figaro, sparking off each other in their relationship. Yet both brought a vein of seriousness into their characters...Laugharne brought out interesting complexities in her Susanna, a rather more poised and less sparky portrayal than usual.
Planet Hugill
Ellie Laugharne’s Susanna is a woman who knows her own destiny. Despite her precarious position, she can balance guarded necessity against a slight amusement at the manly mayhem around her. As a smile flickers across her lips, you know that she is the brains behind the Figaro-Susanna conspiracies. Laugharne (whom we saw last season as Phyllis in ENO’s tongue-in-cheek Iolanthe ) has a clear soprano with a pleasing legato which softens even Susanna’s harsher pronouncements.
Mark Aspen