News bits and bobs:
Reviews for NI Opera’s Radamisto, directed by Wayne Jordan, conducted by David Brophy. May 2017
“Whether she’s singing Bach or Barry, Schoenberg or Mozart, Glanert or Rimsky-Korsakov, Aoife Miskelly never fails to impress, so it was no surprise that her expressive coloratura as Polissena was just dazzling”. http://operajournal.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/handel-radamisto-belfast-2017.html
“The greatest transformation, however, belongs to Tiridate’s agonising wife, Polissena (immense soprano Aoife Miskelly), for whom Handel’s music shifts from zaps of harpsichord to warm strings. Stepping into the golden rays of Kevin Treacy’s lighting, she stands to begin anew”. http://exeuntmagazine.com/reviews/review-radamisto-oreilly-theatre-dublin/
“In particular, soprano Aoife Miskelly in the role of Polissena was consistently powerful and expressive”. https://thesidebalcony.wordpress.com/2017/05/13/wayne-jordans-radamisto-an-operatic-puppet-show/
“Soprano Aoife Miskelly’s hard done by Polissena is beautifully evoked”. https://www.theartsreview.com/single-post/2017/05/12/Radamisto
“Vocally, Campbell-Wallace is well-matched by the expressive Polissena of Aoife Miskelly”. https://www.goldenplec.com/live-reviews/ni-opera-presents-handels-radamisto-review/
“Aoife Miskelly found escape velocity as Polissena”, Michael Dervan, The Irish Times
“Aoife Miskelly’s bright-sounding, abused wife Polissena kept annoying her husband with reminders of the human cost of his actions: the heartstopping ‘Tu vuoi ch’io parta’ right at the start brings things to a juddering halt”. http://www.criticscircle.org.uk/?ID=606&PID=5
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Reviews for Northern Ireland Opera’s production of Don Giovanni, directed by Oliver Mears, conducted by Nicholas Chalmers with choreography by Sarah Fahie:
“However, there was a real standout performance from the Northern Irish soprano Aoife Miskelly, whose Zerlina was charming, musical and sparkling“. The Times, Nov. 2016
“Aoife Miskelly’s clearly pregnant Zerlina is sung with impeccable definition“. The Guardian, Nov. 2016
“But the evening belongs to Northern Ireland soprano Aoife Miskelly, fizzing and sparkling as a pert, sexy Zerlina, even in the slightly queasy aria where she begs to be punished violently for her dalliance with the dastardly Don“. The Stage, Nov. 2016
“Aoife Miskelly marvelled as Zerlina (acting opposite baritone Christopher Cull as Masetto), her singing seemingly effortless and crystal clear, while expressive and versatile throughout. Her performance of the sensual “You’ll see my darling” was outstanding, Zerlina’s portrayal as pregnant adding a tender meaning to her promise of “something money can’t buy”.” Bachtrack, Nov. 2016
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Recent highlights:
Aoife made her role and house debut playing the title role in Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Snow Maiden at Opera North.
“Miskelly was a touchingly lovelorn heroine, with a voice that’s capable of crystalline purity and tremulous ardour. Her otherness was striking, even when she wore jeans and a factory apron prior to her final glittering transformation”. https://www.spectator.co.uk/2017/01/why-do-we-neglect-this-masterpiece-opera-norths-the-snow-maiden-reviewed/#
“Aoife Miskelly sings the part of the Snow Maiden with a pleasing, flutey tone”. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/jan/23/the-snow-maiden-review-a-little-satire-in-a-surfeit-of-whimsy
“There is delightful singing from Aoife Miskelly in the title role”. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/fine-snow-maiden-little-much-sugar-opera-north-grand-theatre/
“Irish soprano Aoife Miskelly brings sweetness and finesse to the Snow Maiden herself”. https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2017/snow-maiden-review-grand-theatre-leeds/
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Soprano soloist for Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. April 2017 https://www.nch.ie/Online/RTENSO-St-Matthew-Passion-14Jul17
Helena - A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Hyogo, Japan, directed by Antony McDonald, conducted by Yutaka Sado with choreography by Lucy Burge. July 2016.
BBC Radio 3 and Oxford Lieder Festival recitals with pianist Will Vann. August/October 2016.
Aoife made her Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House debut in October 2015, playing the lead role of Woman in Donnacha Dennehy’s new opera The Last Hotel, directed by Enda Walsh, conducted by André de Ridder. http://www.roh.org.uk/events/g6rbl
Wigmore Hall International Song Competition. Aoife and pianist Will Vann are delighted to have reached the finals of the 2015 competition, held in September.
Pierrot Lunaire by Schoenberg with the HardRain Soloists Ensemble on tour throughout Ireland, April 2015.
Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady for the Royal Opera House Muscat, Oman February 2015, and Cologne Opera House December 2015 & January 2016
Role of Harey in the German Premiere of Detlev Glanert’s opera Solaris for Opera Cologne November 2014.
Despina, Papagena, Valencienne, Servilia and Frasquita for Cologne Opera’s 2014/15 Season. September 2014- June 2015
July 2014: Soprano soloist for Aix-en-Provence’s world premiere of Trauernacht, directed by Katie Mitchell, conducted by Raphael Pichon.
Cecily (The Importance of Being Earnest by Gerald Barry), Northern Ireland Opera, October 2013 *Irish stage premiere* http://www.niopera.com/productions/the-importance-of-being-earnest.php
Gilda (Rigoletto), Cologne Opera House, November 2013 http://www.operkoeln.com/programm/74150/
Gretel (Hansel und Gretel), Cologne Opera House, December 2013 http://www.operkoeln.com/programm/64467/
La Monnaie, Brussels January 2014 & Aix-en-Provence, June 2013: Thérèse in Les Mamelles de Tiresias. Directed by Ted Huffman, choreographed by Zack Winokur.
Soprano soloist with Camerata Ireland conducted by Barry Douglas. Mark-Anthony Turnage‘s At sixes and sevens. 3rd July 2013, Derry, UK *World Premiere*
Soprano soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. The President’s concert in the presence of President Michael D. Higgins. 26th July 2013 at the National Concert Hall, Dublin
