EILEEN HULSE Soprano

 

After an initial career as a teacher, Eileen studied at the National Opera Studio, was accepted by Y.C.A.T. and rapidly made her mark as one of Britain’s leading coloratura sopranos.

Eileen travelled extensively with the role of Flora, Turn of the Screw performing at the Fenice, Kirov, Bolshoi, and the Music Centre Los Angeles. She has also recorded the role for Collins Classics. Other more standard roles include Constanze and Blonde, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Queen of the Night and Pamina Magic Flute, Madame Herz, Der Schauspieldirector,  Fiakermilli Arabella to name but a few. As well as classical opera Eileen has been very involved with contemporary opera roles. She performed to considerable critical acclaim the multiple roles of The Maid in Thomas Adès first opera Powder Her Face with the Vlaamse opera and was involved in the premiere of his second opera The Tempest with the stratospheric role Ariel. Other world premieres include Mother, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Michael Berkeley, 63 Dream Palace, von Bose and Higgelty Piggelty Pop, Knussen. Opera videos include Baa Baa Black  Sheep with Opera North and Rusalka  E.N.O.

 

Eileen has performed extensively on the concert platform both at home and abroad. She has appeared several times at the Proms, the first time singing Glière’s Concerto for Coloratura Soprano and Orchestra with Vladimir Ashkenazy conducting and returning to sing the equally stratospheric In Alium, John Tavener. She has since recorded both works. A work that Eileen has performed  frequently in both its piano and orchestral versions is the cycle, Songs of the Fairytale Princess by Szymanowski, with orchestra conducted by Simon Rattle, Martyn Brabbins and Sian Edwards, each time recorded for radio. In the piano version she has performed them with John Constable, Paul Turner and Ian Burnside.

RECORDINGS 

Socrate and songs,  Erik Satie, Music Projects, Richard Bernas,  reissued by LTM CD

Concerto for Coloratura Soprano and Orchestra, Glière, Richard Hickox, City of London      Sinfonia, Chandos Label

Sing Ariel, Alexander Goehr, Oliver Knussen, Kanchana Label.

Brentano Lieder Op.68, Richard Strauss, Neeme Jarvi, Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Chandos.

Turn of the Screw, Britten, Steuart Bedford, Collins classics

Baa,Baa Black Sheep, Michael Berkeley, Collins Classics

Herzgewächse, Schoenberg, Robert Craft, L.S.O., Koch

On a Deserted Shore, Francis Routh, National Youth Choir of Great Britain, Michael Brewer,

4 Concert Arias, John Woolrich

In Alium, John Tavener, Naxos

Mahler 8,  Salomon Orchestra, Martyn Brabbins (from a performance in the R.F.H.)

Erato  for voice and string Quartet , Turina with the Amigos String Quartet

Trois Poèmes de L’Orient,  Luis Tinoco,  Odaline de la Martinez, Lontano