Biography

Hailing from the west coast of Canada, “scintillating” soprano Rachel Allen has been praised for bringing “great tenderness” and “seductive power” to her singing. Rachel is currently pursuing a Master of Performance at the Royal College of Music studying with Alison Wells. She is grateful to be supported at the RCM by the Robert Anderson Award, and by Help Musicians UK through an Ian Fleming award. Recent operatic roles include Valletto/Fortuna/Pallade (L’incoronazione di Poppea, Grimeborn), Morgana (Alcina, Grimeborn) and Bellezza/Semele/Hora Seconda (L’Egisto, Hampstead Garden Opera). As an ensemble singer, Rachel performs regularly with the Monteverdi Choir, and has sung with the Gabrieli Consort, Theatre of Early Music, and in the chorus of Opera Atelier.

At the RCM Rachel has performed in opera scenes performances as Agnès (Written on Skin), Adele (Die Fledermaus), Lauretta (Le Docteur Miracle), and Gianetta (The Gondoliers). Rachel originated the role of Stephen Hendry (Gilbert Feathers) in Odysseys, a collaboration between Tête à Tête and RCM presenting newly composed chamber operas directed by Bill Bankes-Jones and conducted by Timothy Burke. With RCM’s historical performance department Rachel has appeared as a soloist in presentations of Bach’s Easter Oratorio and Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre’s L’isle de Délos. 

Rachel received her Bachelor of Music at the University of Toronto, studying on exchange at the Royal Northern College of Music in her final year with Peter Wilson. While at the Royal Northern College of Music, Rachel published an entry for Grove Music Online on 18th century Handelian soprano, Élisabeth Duparc (La Francesina), co-authored with Dr Cheryll Duncan. In Victoria, Canada, Rachel trained with sopranos Nancy Argenta and Ingrid Attrot at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. In the Victoria Conservatory of Music’s Opera Studio, she performed as Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Hermia (The Fairy Queen), Tytania (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) and Belinda (Dido and Aeneas). She was the recipient of the Ethel James Rose Bowl and Roberto and Mary Wood Scholarship at the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival, winning first prize in the National Classical Voice category at the British Columbia Performing Arts Festival.