About

First-Prize winner of the 2022 Concurso Tenor Viñas competition in Barcelona, rising star Soprano Gemma Summerfield has created a name as one of the most exciting young artists of today. The 2023 - 2024 season sees Ms. Summerfield makes her role and house debut as Micaëla in Damiano Michieletto’s new production of Carmen at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. On the concert platform, she will perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Barbican, London, and in recital, Ms. Summerfield appears at the Wigmore Hall, and at the finals concert of the Concurso Tenor Viñas competition.

Last season, Ms. Summerfield made role and house debuts as Erste Dame in Die Zauberflöte at Staatsoper Hamburg, and Ulana in Manru at Opéra National de Lorraine. In concert, she made her debut with the Bergen Philharmonic performing and recording Delius’s Mass of Life and returned to the Hallé for a concert performance of Elgar’s The Kingdom in Manchester.

Highlights on the operatic stage include Fiordiligi in Così fan Tutte at Opéra national du Rhin, Pamina in The Magic Flute at Glyndebourne & Scottish Opera, Mimì in La bohème at Northern Ireland Opera, Nanetta in Falstaff at Scottish Opera, Paula Jordan in Dinner at Eight at Wexford Festival Opera (European Premiere), Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus, Ginevra in Ariodante,  Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, the title role in Rodelinda (cover) at English National Opera, and Michal in Saul (cover) at Glyndebourne Festival Opera. 

Ms. Summerfield consistently proves her capabilities on platforms around the world. In recent recitals she has performed throughout the UK, and in Norway, Canada and Denmark. Oratorio Performances include Beethoven in Switzerland, Bach in Beirut and Mozart in Westminster Abbey. She has enjoyed repeat performances with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Mozart Concert Orchestra and in recital with Duo Partner Sebastian Wybrew.

Ms. Summerfield was awarded First Prize in the Concorso Lirico Internazionale de Portofino 2019, Duo Prize with Sebastian Wybrew at the 2017 Wigmore Hall Song Competition, ‘swept the board’ at the 2015 Kathleen Ferrier Awards winning both First Prize and the Loveday Song Prize, and was the only British finalist in the inaugural Glyndebourne Cup and the 2018 Concours Musical International de Montreal.

Also a Yeoman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians having been awarded the Silver Medal, Ms. Summerfield holds the current Susan Chilcott award, administered by the Royal Philharmonic Society and is a Carne Scholar. She previously graduated from the Royal College of Music International Opera Studio, still continuing to work closely with Rosa Mannion.

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