biography
R O S A N N A H A R R I S
s o p r a n o
British soprano Rosanna Harris is a versatile and dynamic artist, whose performance experience encompasses opera, oratorio, concert and recital repertoires. She has been based in England since 2012, after living in Canada for 10 years, and works primarily around the U.K. Rosanna graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music with a Master’s Degree and Postgraduate Diploma in Vocal Performance, both with distinction.
Music has been a part of Rosanna's life since she was 5 years old. Her parents were, and still are, involved in the music/arts world, so she was fortunate to have a musical grounding from an early age. She started out playing the 'cello, but once she discovered singing there was no turning back! Rosanna likes to take a varied approach to her musical repertoire and experiences. She has performed music in genres including, but not limited to opera, classical, choral and musical theatre.
Rosanna has sung with companies including English Touring Opera, Raymond Gubbay Ltd., Grange Park Opera, Retrospect Opera, Opera Rara, Opera Holland Park, European Opera Centre, British Youth Opera, and the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company. Other notable venues Rosanna has performed in include the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Snape Maltings and Bridgewater Hall. She has appeared with ensembles including the Vienna Tonkünstler-Orchester and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic 10/10 ensemble.
Rosanna has been featured on four U.K. produced albums: Fête galante (Ethel Smyth) & Raymond & Agnes (Edward Loder) both with Retrospect Opera and the première performances/recordings of Le Villi (Puccini) with Opera Rara and Weimar (Adam Gorb) with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic 10/10 ensemble.
Rosanna's operatic roles include Una voce dal cielo Don Carlo, Sandman (c.) Hansel & Gretel, Sofiya/Yelena Laika the Spacedog, Rose Maybud Ruddigore, Phyllis Iolanathe, Zerlina Don Giovanni, Bianca/Gabriela La Rondine, Mab/Adelaide The Enchanted Pig, Tytania A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Valencienne The Merry Widow, Giannetta L’elisir d’amore, Molly Brazen The Beggar’s Opera, Susanna Le nozze di Figaro, Pamina Die Zauberflöte, Sophie Werther and Oscar Un ballo in maschera.
International concert engagements have included the soprano solos in Beethoven Choral Fantasia with Vienna Tonkünstler-Orchester. On the concert platform Rosanna has performed the soprano solos in Haydn The Creation, Bach Magnificat, Brahms Requiem, Britten A Ceremony of Carols, Bob Chilcot Requiem, Dvořák Stabat Mater, Fauré Requiem, Handel Messiah, Haydn Nelson Mass, James Macmillan Tenebrae Responsories, Mendelssohn Elijah, Mozart Requiem, Orff Carmina Burana, Poulenc Gloria, Rutter Requiem and Vivaldi Gloria.
Rosanna recently sang the roles of Mab/Adelaide in Jonathan Dove’s The Enchanted Pig for Hampstead Garden Opera. A review commented, “Adelaide ... was gleamingly sung by soprano Rosanna Harris. Her Tiara aria was just as entertaining, divaesque and catchy as one would imagine for an evil bridezilla ...”
Another notable performance was Giannetta in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore at the Royal Northern College of Music. A review in The Manchester Evening News noted that 'Rosanna Harris, as Giannetta ...proved herself a star, with a silvery voice and presence that should soon be an asset to any professional company’.
Having trained as an actor and dancer Rosanna has broad on-stage experience in plays, musicals and operas. This includes performing with Thursford Christmas Spectacular for two seasons, which allowed her to utilise and strengthen all areas of her performing.
April 2020