Colette Delahunt - Soprano -



"The end of all good music is to affect the soul"
- Claudio Monteverdi

Welcome... It is a great privilege to have spent my career performing, communicating, interpreting, learning and sharing music. It is such a joy to journey with it, as it sustains and accompanies us every day. I am so grateful for the wonderful opportunities that have come along over the years and the incredible musicians that I have been so fortunate to work with.



Biography

Irish Soprano Colette Delahunt has had a very busy and varied international career to date, performing in opera, oratorio, concert and as an accomplished recitalist. Originally from Co. Wicklow, Colette's very first singing teacher was Sr. Agnes Cecilia Nolan of St Mary's College Arklow. After her formal training in DIT College of Music with Nancy Calthorpe, Trudi Carberry and winning many senior prizes including The Margaret Burke Sheridan Cup and overall vocal prize the Gervase Elwes Cup, Colette was awarded a scholarship to complete her post-graduate studies with acclaimed singer and teacher Valerie Masterson OBE, at Trinity College of Music, London. In London Colette won a number of prestigious awards including the BBC Young Artists Forum Award and The Royal Overseas League Prize.

Colette was invited to join Glyndebourne Festival Opera Company and made her debut in Alban Berg’s Lulu in 1998, that same year she was awarded the Erich Vietheer prize for most promising young Glyndebourne artist. A career highlight for Colette was singing the role of Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro at Glyndebourne, Colette went on to sing this role many times throughout her career. Many roles followed at Glyndebourne Opera including a performance of Berg’s Lulu at the BBC Proms. Colette has sung many roles with Opera North, Aix-en-Provence Opera, Covent Garden Festival Opera and made her debut in The Bartered Bride with Bernard Haitink at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Here at home Colette has performed principal roles with Opera Ireland, Opera Theatre Company, Lyric Opera and Opera in the Open.

Colette has performed extensively in concert and oratorio throughout Ireland and Britain working most notably with The BBC Philharmonic, The London Sinfonia, The National Symphony Orchestra , The RTÉ Concert Orchestra and Co-Orch. Recent performances have included Mozart’s Requiem, Mozart’s Mass in C, Fauré’s Requiem, Beethoven’s Choral Symphony and the Brahms German Requiem. Recent highlights have included the premiere performance of Anne-Marie O’Farrell’s composition Pomes Penyeach with the ConTempo Quartet and she also had the unique experience of singing at the premiere performance of Handel’s Messiah in Doha, Qatar.

Colette is passionate about the genre of song recital and recent performances include, a recital at the Military Headquarters Genoa, Italy, a recital at Áras an Uachtaráin, NCH John Field Room, St Ann’s Church, Dawson St and a recital for RTÉ Lyric FM. Colette has had the huge honour of being the soloist at The National Day of Commemoration 2014, 2016 and 2020 with the bands of the Irish Defence Forces, all of which were broadcast live on RTÉ television. Of great pride to Colette has been her involvement in a number of State Centenary Commemorations, most notably ‘A Civil War Cantata' composed by Anne-Marie O‘Farrell with the RTE Concert Orchestra.

Colette has been invited to work with acclaimed film composer Stephen McKeon and has featured as soloist in two films, Pilgrimage and Rose Plays Julie. As an experienced adjudicator and teacher she is passionate about encouraging and supporting young singers.



Recital

"(The lied) is really the most difficult and what more skill and knowledge requires:to pour into a small form a big content""
- Gustav Mahler


Colette has performed widely both at home and internationally as an accomplished recitalist. The recital repertoire has always been of huge importance to her during her career. The recital performance has always represented an area of special interest. Colette has been the recipient of many recital awards, including the BBC Young Artist Recital Award and the Royal Overseas Prize. It is always such a privilege for her to collaborate with wonderful artists such as Catriona McElhinney Grimes, Trudi Carberry and Anne-Marie O'Farrell on recital projects.

Some Exciting News

Colette and Trudi Carberry have recently recorded a beautiful album of songs. "Pathways" is due to be launched in Autumn 2023 in association with Jiggery Pokery Productions. More details will appear on this website in due course. They are really looking forward to the launch "Pathways" and sharing a really special programme of songs. This will be followed by a number of recital engagements to promote this exciting project.
Dates and details to follow.

Copyright © Colette Delahunt 2023