About this Event
Today's lunchtime concert is given by soprano Victoria Armillotta and mezzo-soprano Iryna Ilnytska accompanied by Liliana Butska (piano) performing the following programme:
Tommaso - Caro mio ben
Paisiello - Nel cor più non mi sento
Gounod - ‘Dieu! Quel frisson…Amour, ranime mon courage’ from Roméo et Juliette
Saint-Saëns - ’Mon Coeur’ from Samson et Dalila
Offenbach - ‘Belle nuit’ from The Tales of Hoffmann
Mozart - ‘Come scoglio’ from Così fan tutte
Rossini - ‘Nacqui all’affanno….Non più mesta’ from La Cenerentola
Purcell - Sound the trumpet
As ever admission is free with a retiring collection
Born in Tuscany, British-Italian soprano Victoria Armillotta has a particular affinity for Verismo repertoire, drawn by the immediate visceral connection this music evokes. Currently based in London, she is a recent graduate of the Royal Academy of Music where she gained a Distinction in her Master of Arts degree under the tutelage of Nuccia Focile. Victoria previously studied at the Royal Northern College of Music where she was awarded a First Class Honours Bachelor of Music degree.
In the RAM opera scenes, Victoria performed the roles of Mimì (La Bohème), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Suzel (L’amico Fritz) and Giulietta (I Capuleti e i Montecchi). Other operatic roles include Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) with the Berlin Opera Academy, Musetta (La Bohème) with Leeds Youth Opera, Euridice (Orfeo ed Euridice) with Stella Maris Trio, Malice (The Pilgrim’s Progress) at the RNCM, Erster Knabe (Die Zauberflöte), Mabel (The Pirates of Penzance) and the title role of Patience with Somerset Opera. In the RNCM opera scenes, she performed Noémie (Cendrillon) and Serpina (La serva padrona). As a chorister, Victoria performed in Roméo et Juliette and Die Zauberflöte with Savonlinna Opera Festival, Suor Angelica, Cendrillon, and The Pilgrim’s Progress at the RNCM, in Aida with Ellen Kent Opera & Ballet International (Palace Theatre Manchester) and Tarka the Otter by Stephen McNeff with the Two Moors Festival under the baton of Nicholas Cleobury (Exeter Cathedral). Further chorus work in baroque operas includes Venus and Adonis and Acis and Galatea alongside eminent baritone Donald Maxwell.
Her concert highlights include appearing on German television as an operatic soloist in Fête de la Musique Berlin and recently performing Luonnotar Op.70 by Sibelius with Harrow Symphony Orchestra. Victoria has also premiered several contemporary works, three of which were part of her interdisciplinary project combining fine art and contemporary music A Sea Spell: Rossetti’s Sonnet and Painting Reimagined for voice and chamber ensemble. Also a passionate chamber musician, she performs with Stella Maris Trio around the UK. Together, they have performed many concert programmes in distinguished venues such as Blenheim Palace and Exeter Cathedral.
As an oratorio soloist, her repertoire includes First Lady in Handel’s Solomon, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass and Schubert’s Mass in G. As a chorister, she performed in Haydn’s Die Schöpfung at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms alongside the BBC Philharmonic under the baton of Omer Meir Wellber and in the Royal Academy Chorus in Mahler’s Third Symphony conducted by Semyon Bychkov at the Royal Festival Hall. She is also a current member of the Philharmonia Chorus.
Iryna Ilnytska, mezzo soprano from Ukraine, began studying music at the age of eight. At the age of twelve, she won the first prize at an opera competition in Luhansk/Ukraine for young singers. A few years later she sang the roles of Carmen and Dalila at the Opera studio in Kyiv.
Iryna studied classical voice at the Academy of Music Claudio Abbado in Milan, Italy in the opera class of Maestro Vincenzo Manno.
Her first roles in the UK were the ones of 3rd Lady, 3rd Spirit, Idamante, Lola and Orfeo. She worked with Red Earth Opera, Somerset Opera, Staircase Opera and Opera in a Box here. Iryna also sang solos in Mozart's Coronation Mass K317 and Vespers K339, alto solo in G.F. Handel’s “Messiah”, as well as other concerts with different ensembles at Exeter Cathedral.
Together with Stella Maris Trio Iryna performed in Devon and Oxfordshire at different venues, including Blenheim Palace. The various projects of collaboration with the Trio were Gluck’s Opera “Orfeo ed Euridice” (the role of Orfeo), “Trouser roles in Opera”, “Tragic & Comic Musical Moments”, “Sacred & Profane”, “Queens in Baroque Opera”, "The Favourites", "Greek and Roman Myths in Opera", etc.
Iryna worked with Red Earth Opera as Assistant Director for the production of 'L'elisir d'amore'. She also directed Mozart's 'Cosi fan tutte' with Exeter University Opera Society and Gluck's 'Orfeo ed Euridice' with Stella Maris Trio. In 2023 Iryna was a Co-Director of Gilbert & Sullivan’s opera ‘The Sorcerer’ with Exeter Operatic Group 'St. David’s Players' - On May 18th 2024 Iryna won the Allan Brooking Cup for the Best Gilbert & Sullivan Production.
Last year Iryna sang a lot of charity concerts to support Ukrainian volunteers who save lives in this terrible war. She is planning to continue doing it this year. She is also looking forward to singing the roles of Sorceress and Orfeo, working on the projects 'Music of Rossini and Mozart', 'Queens in Opera', 'Henry Purcell and 365 years later', 'Aspects of Love', 'Timeless Lullabies', as well as performing some concerts in Bern, Switzerland.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
St George's Hanover Square, St George Street, W1, St George's Hanover Square, London, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00
