Praised for her ‘effortless, vivacious singing’ and ‘deep musicality’, British/Irish Soprano Jane Burnell joins the brand new Opera Studio at Royal Swedish Opera for seasons 26/27 and 27/28, having completed her Master of Music in Vocal and Opera Studies degree at the Royal Northern College of Music under the tutelage of Linda Richardson. She won First Prize at the Eastbourne International Singing Competition 2025, and Second Prize and Audience Prize at the International Handel Singing Competition 2026.
She began the 2025/2026 season with Wexford Festival Opera as a Wexford Factory Artist performing Contessa di Folleville Il Viaggio a Reims (Rossini) and Titania A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Britten). She then makes her debut with the Nederlandse Reisopera as Barbie in the world premiere of To Die For [A Comedy] (Elena Langer).
2024/2025 season highlights: Molly Allgood Lady Gregory in America and Chorus Le Maschere for Wexford Festival Opera and Mademoiselle Silberklang The Impresario (Mozart) with Buxton International Festival
2023/2024 season highlights included: professional debut as Gasparina La Canterina (Haydn) and Giovanna Ernani (Verdi) for Buxton International Festival. During 2022/2023, Jane was a Buxton International Festival Young Artist and performed in the chorus for La Sonnambula.
Other previous roles include: Pamina The Magic Flute (Leeds Youth Opera), Due Donne Le Nozze di Figaro (RNCM Opera), La Novizia Suor Angelica (Random Opera Company), Adele Die Fledermaus (LCSU Opera Society),Belinda/Second Woman Dido and Aeneas (LUUMS Opera Society) and Mabel (cover) Pirates of Penzance (Rocket Opera). In scenes, Jane has performed Zerlina Don Giovanni (RNCM), Guilia La Scala di Seta (RNCM) and Rosaura Le Donne Curiose (RNCM).
Jane has performed in Opera Galas with RNCM (annual Opera Gala at The Bridgewater Hall) and Clonter Opera.
Jane is a regular concert soloist, particularly for Baroque repertoire, performing with choirs and orchestras all across the UK, including: Mozart Exsultate Jubilate (Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra), Handel Messiah (Skipton Camerata), Bach St Matthew Passion (Manchester Baroque) and Bach B Minor Mass (National Festival Orchestra). In 2021 and 2024 Jane performed as a soloist for The Great Yorkshire Proms across Yorkshire with the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra, alongside the likes of Sir Willard White and Aled Jones MBE.
As a recitalist, Jane has performed at The Bridgewater Hall (RNCM Songsters), Leeds Town Hall (International Concert Season), and the Howard Assembly Room (Opera North Partnership concert).
Aside from performing, Jane works closely with Leeds Lieder as a Workshop Leader for their outreach programme in schools across Leeds, and Grange Park Primary Robins across Manchester.
Jane’s studies at the RNCM were generously supported by the Richard Newitt Fund.
This biography is for information only and should not be reproduced.
Il Viaggio a Reims (Contessa di Folleville)
Wexford Festival Opera, October 2025
“Jane Burnell, as Contessa di Folleville, has a radiant coloratura soprano and plays out the exaltation of the French aristocracy with great comedy.”
Online Musik Magazin
“British‐Irish soprano Jane Burnell stood out as Countess Folleville, due to her beautiful voice and magnetic stage presence.”
La Scena Musicale
"Soprano Jane Burnell produced a confident, clearly defined reading of the Contessa di Folleville,
in which she successfully captured the comic absurdity of her character[...]which drew plenty of
laughter from the audience. It was also a role that allowed her to show off the versatility, tonal
clarity and beauty of her voice as she energetically and enthusiastically grappled with her
character’s petty concerns, weaving bright, delicately fashioned lines that included short,
sparkling passages of coloratura."
Operawire
"British‐Irish soprano Jane Burnell was an amazing Madame Folleville, the aptly‐named
fashion‐crazed Parisian. In addition to her beautiful timbre and ease with her upper register,
Burnell displayed a magnetic stage presence."
concerto.net
"After Jane Burnell’s delightful characterisation of Molly Allgood in ‘Lady Gregory in America’ last year, I was looking forward to her Contessa. I was not disappointed. Last year, I wrote: “Jane Burnell’s sweet, clear, unforced soprano voice (in what was a first hearing for me) endows Molly with a radiant benevolence that turns Kerrigan from boy to man. There is something about Jane Burnell’s stage presence that makes the world seem a better place”. Well, that still holds. When the Contessa’s favourite hat is the only thing from her missing wardrobe that is salvaged, her joy is radiant. Jane made sure we all felt it too."
Edinburgh Music Review
A Midsummer Nights Dream (Tytania)
Wexford Festival Opera, October 2025
“Jane Burnell was a radiant and regal Queen Tytania.”
La Scena Musicale
“The role of Tytania was sung by Jane Burnell with exquisite panache. Not only was her voice ideally suited for the role, but her demeanour was truly regal.”
ConcertoNet.com
The Impresario (Mademoiselle Silberklang)
Buxton International Festival, July 2025
“As Mademoiselle Silberklang, [Jane Burnell] showed off her skill in creating a comedic character that often had the audience laughing along. Her singing oozed energy and positivity, which she harnessed to create a beautiful, lively yet sensitive vocal interpretation, underpinned by her attractive tone and lyrically engaging phrasing.”
Operawire
“...Burnell brings plenty of sweetness and character to Susanna’s “Deh vieni, non tardar”
The Stage
”Jane Burnell (who is the vocal star of the show, ending the first half with a beautiful "Deh vieni non tardar" from The Marriage of Figaro)”
Theatre Reviews North
“...Jane Burnell’s Silberklang, providing contrast with her more delicate and sweetly sustained, though nearly as florid music.”
Classical Source
La Canterina (Gasparina)
Buxton International Festival, July 2024
“...soprano Jane Burnell, who delivers a star turn in the role of Gasparina, replete with sparky, heartless brilliance.”
The Stage
“Jane Burnell is the singer, Gasparina...and shows she’s got a comedic gift as well as a lovely voice.”
Theatre Reviews North
“Jane Burnell’s performance as Gasparina is as sparkling as her diamond necklace glinting in Rachel E Cleary’s stage lighting. She flounces and flirts and attitudinises, faints on cue quite convincingly, and handles the frequent vocal changes from aside to high drama to conversation to heart-rending pleading with consummate ease.”
The Opera Critic
“Jane Burnell, soprano, was brilliant as the scheming Gasparina, playing off her two other would-be lovers.”
National World
“Jane Burnell is a feisty Gasparina, milking her parody tragic aria as she wheedles Don Pelagio into letting her stay.”
classical music daily
Ernani (Giovanna)
Buxton International Festival, July 2024
“Smaller roles taken by Jane Burnell (Giovanna)...assisted the success of the production.”
Seen and Heard International
“Jane Burnell, Emyr Lloyd Jones and Theo Perry complete a taut and concentrated cast”
The Telegraph
“...and the three minor roles (Jane Burnell as Giovanna)...are taken by highly gifted younger singers.”
Theatre Reviews North
“...with choristers Jane Burnell, Theo Perry and Emyr Lloyd Jones also impressing in smaller solo roles.”
The Guardian
“Baritone Theo Perry and soprano Jane Burnell both produced solid performances in the relatively small roles of Jago and Giovanna.”
operawire
These photos are available to be downloaded.
Right click on a desired image and select the "Save Link As" option.
