HELEN LEAR
SOPRANO
PERSONAL DETAILS
Name: Helen Jane Lear
Date of birth: 8 May 1979
Citizenship: New Zealand
Ancestry: NZ European/Kai Tahu
Qualifications: PGDip(Singer) (Distinction) Royal College of Music, London 2006
BMus(Hons 1) (Vocal Performance) Victoria University, NZ 2005
BMus (Singing) Victoria University, Wellington, NZ 2003
B.A. (English Literature) Victoria University, Wellington, NZ 2000
ATCL Vocal Performance 1999
Contact: www.helenlear.com
helen@helenlear.com
SINGING TEACHERS
2007 – Kathleen Livingstone DipMusEdRSAMD, DRSAMD, HonRCM
2005 – 2007 Prof. Margaret Kingsley FRCM, LRAM
2002 – 2005 Emily Mair ONZM
2001 Dame Malvina Major DBE
1996–2001 Geoffrey Coker MA Camb, BMus, LTCL, LMusTCL
1992–1996 Pamela Thomson
REPERTOIRE IN OPERA
As Principal:
2008 Marguerite - Faust by Gounod Edinburgh Grand Opera
2004 Madame Popova - The Bear by Walton Opera Victoria
2003 Venus - Orpheus in the Underworld by Offenbach Opera Victoria
2002 Speranza -L'Orfeo by Monteverdi Opera Victoria
2001 Javotte - Manon by Massenet NBR NZ Opera
As Understudy:
2004 Frasquita - Carmen (Bizet) NBR NZ Opera
2004 Giovanna - Rigoletto (Verdi) NBR NZ Opera
As Chorus Member:
2006 – 2007 Member of Opera Baugé Chorus July/August
Don Giovanni, Carmen
2000 – 2005 Member of the Chapman Tripp Chorus of NBR NZ Opera
Singing in over 10 productions during this time.
As Director:
2004 The Bear by Walton Opera Victoria
Directing, staging and performing in The Bear was my ‘Special Topic’
Paper for an Honours Performance Course. This was the University's
Opera Victoria official opera production for the year. I received an A+
as my mark for the performance, and the production received excellent
reviews.
As Concert Singer:
2004 St John Passion by Bach Kapiti Chamber
Conductor: Peter Godfrey Choir
2003 Three Cornered Hat Suite by de Falla Wellington Sinfonia
Performances at the Michael Fowler Centre, Napier
Municipal Theatre and at Palmerston North.
Nelson Mass by Haydn Ars Nova, New Plymouth
Conductor: Adam Jasinski
Petite Messe Solonelle by Rossini Ars Nova, New Plymouth
Conductor: Adam Jasinski
Missa Brevis by Mozart Festival Singers, Wellington
Conductor: Rosemary Russell
Bravo Berlioz Cantoris Choir
Conductor: Michael Vinten
MUSICAL STUDY
2007 – 2008 Royal College of Music, London
RCM Scholar, 2007/8 recipient of the Constant and Kit Lambert Award
Teacher: Prof. Kathleen Livingstone
2006 – 2007 Change in fach from mezzo-soprano to soprano
Teacher: Prof. Margaret Kingsley
2005 – 2006 Royal College of Music, London
PG Dip (Singer), graduated with Distinction
Teacher: Prof. Margaret Kingsley
2002 - 2005 Victoria University of Wellington
B.Mus (Hons) in Musical Performance (Voice).
I was accepted directly into second year performance, and
completed undergraduate requirements within two years.
I studied towards Honours part-time over a year and a half,
to enable me to take language papers concurrently.
2001 Dame Malvina Major NBR NZ Opera Emerging Artist Programme
I was one of 5 young singers accepted by NBR NZ Opera and Dame
Malvina Major to be Emerging Artists for 2001. This included the
opportunity to perform the role of Javotte in their production of Manon,
a concert at Premier House with Rodney McCann, and various
concerts and performances in Wellington and Auckland for the Opera
company.
1999, 2003 National Singing School (Napier)
Lessons and Masterclasses with Gregory Yurisich, Anthea Moller,
and Judy Bellingham, among others.
Selected by Gregory Yurisich as Soloist for the School’s Final Concert.
2001 New Zealand Opera School
Lessons and masterclasses with Frances Wilson and Rosemary Barnes
Acting and movement with Elizabeth Hawthorne and Raymond
Hawthorne
OTHER STUDY
1997 – 2000 Victoria University of Wellington
B.A. in English Literature
1992 – 1996 Hutt Valley High School, Lower Hutt