biography

British soprano Susanna Hurrell made a critically acclaimed debut with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, as Lauretta in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi under Nicola Luisotti in 2016 and was subsequently invited back to perform Micaëla in Barry Kosky’s production of Carmen. Her pure, clear tone, and stage presence have garnered praise from audiences and critics alike. Since the start of her career, Hurrell has performed many leading roles in prestigious venues in the UK and abroad. In addition to the aforementioned roles, some especially memorable performances include:

  • Gretel Hänsel and Gretel - English National Opera at Regents Park Theatre

  • Grete Der Traumgörge (Zemlinsky) - Opéra de Lorraine

  • Mélisande Pelléas et Mélisande - Norwegian National Opera / cover Glyndebourne / English Touring Opera 

  • Norina Don Pasquale - Longborough Festival Opera

  • Cleopatra Giulio Cesare - English Touring Opera 

  • Corinna Il Viaggio a Reims - English Touring Opera

  • Susanna Le Nozze di Figaro - Landestheater Detmold

  • First Lady The Magic Flute - English National Opera, (Erste Dame) - Opéra de Lorraine

  • Erisbe L’Ormindo (Cavalli) - Royal Opera House at the Sam Wanamaker Theatre

  • Aldimira Erismena (Cavalli) - Festival d’Aix en Provence, Château de Versailles

  • Isabel Lessons in Love and Violence - Mariinsky Theatre 

  • Sukanya Sukanya (Ravi Shankar) - a Royal Opera House collaboration with London Philharmonic Orchestra - Royal Festival Hall & UK tour

  • Anne Trulove The Rake’s Progress - Opera Glass Works at Wilton’s Music Hall

  • Suzy 4.48 Psychosis (Philip Venables) - a Royal Opera House collaboration with Lyric Theatre Hammersmith and Prototype Festival, New York

  • Governess The Turn of The Screw - Northern Ireland Opera at Nevill Holt, Novaya Theatre, Moscow

  • Rose Maurrant Street Scene - The Opera group - Young Vic, Théâtre du Châtelet, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Theater an der Wien & others.

  • Despina Cosí fan tutte - Opéra de Limoges

  • Rosalinde Die Fledermaus - Opera Holland Park

  • Miss Jessel The Turn of the Screw - Opéra de Lorraine

    At home on the concert platform, Hurrell has performed with several of the UK’s most prestigious orchestras, among them the BBC Symphony and Concert orchestras, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

    Highlights of her concert work include:

  • Mahler Symphony no.4 - John Storgårds - BBC Symphony Orchestra

  • Kurt Weill Broadway Songs - Keith Lockhart - BBC Concert Orchestra

  • Mozart Requiem - Klaus Mäkelä - Scottish Chamber Orchestra

  • Handel Messiah - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, English Chamber Orchestra and Mozart Festival Orchestra

  • Britten Les Illuminations - English Chamber Orchestra and Southbank Sinfonia

  • Pergolesi Stabat Mater - Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

  • Fauré Requiem & Mozart Exsultate Jubilate - David Hill - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

  • Haydn Nelson Mass - András Schiff - Oxford Philomusica

  • Schubert Lieder - Kevin Edusei - Royal Scottish National Orchestra

  • Bach Mass in B Minor - Paul Brough - BBC Singers

  • David Oppenheimer Deborah (world premiere) - Southbank Sinfonia

  • Rossini Petite messe solennelle - David Parry - Southrepps Classical Music Festival

  • Ethel Smythe Mass in D - recording for Chandos - Sakari Oramo - BBC Symphony Orchestra

Currently based in Berlin, Hurrell was born in London and trained at the Royal College of Music and the National Opera Studio. She is the recipient of numerous awards and prizes including the Peter Hulsen Orchestral Song Award, the 2013 Grange Park Opera Aria Prize at the Hampshire Singing Competition, first prize-winner in the RCM English Song, John Kerr English Song and the Dean & Chadlington competitions. She was a finalist in the Kathleen Ferrier Competition and a semi-finalist at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels.

Not to be altered without permission.