Biography

Helen Jarmany’s passion for singing began at an early age through her local church in Lancashire.  She sang in various musicals, choirs and festivals as a child and at the age of 14 started taking singing lessons.  In 2001 she began her professional training at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester where she was awarded a Dora Elizabeth Chappell Entrance Award and an Eva Turner scholarship to help support her studies.  

Helen's Operatic career began at Glyndebourne where she joined the world famous festival opera chorus straight from music college. During her time there she sang the role of The Hostess in Boris Godunov (Night Pieces) as part of their Jerwood young artist development programme and also covered the roles of Ottavia in L’Incoronazione di Poppea, Pastuchyna in Jenůfa and Dama di Lady in Macbeth. English National Opera soon joined in their interest for Helen's talent and she sang the role of 2nd Witch/Jenny in Dido & Aeneas (After Dido) in a film and theatre co-production with the Young Vic Theatre. She also covered many roles for ENO including Scipio in Caligula, Penelope in Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria, Rosmira in Partenope and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor. Opera North also recognised Helen's versatility both as a singer and actress when they cast her for their production of Carousel at The Barbican Centre in London. 

In 2013 Helen joined The Welsh National Opera as a full time member of their prestigious ensemble. Since then her roles for the company include La Maestra delle Novizie in Suor Angelica (il Trittico), Hotel Guest in Death in Venice, Flora in La Traviata, Rychtárka (The Mayor's Wife) in Jenůfa, Suzuki in Madam Butterfly, Mum/The Mad Hatter in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Olga in Eugene Onegin, 3rd Noble Orphan in Der Rosenkavalier and Jewish Lady in The Merchant of Venice which she performed at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Her covered roles for WNO include Beggar Woman in Death in Venice, Paquette in Candide, Poklizecka (The Cleaning Lady) in The Macropulos Affair, Dama di Lady in Macbeth, Alto Solo Voice/6 solo voices in Moses und Aron and The Singer in Manon Lescaut. 

On the Oratorio platform Helen's credits began whilst still a student when she toured to Cyprus, Slovakia and Austria performing Mozart’s Requiem as alto soloist for the Northern England Chorale. During this time she was also a guest soloist with the Macao Orchestra performing Bach’s Christmas Oratorio.  Following her success in Macao, Helen was invited back to sing Bach's B Minor Mass two years later. Her repertoire includes Verdi’s Requiem, Handel's Messiah, Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius (The Angel), Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle and Handel's Samson (Micah), which she sang in a fully staged performance for HM King Charles III at Houghton Hall with The Yorke Trust.  Concert Platform repertoire includes Elgar’s Sea Pictures and many Opera Gala concerts throughout the UK and Europe, including the Wessex Glyndebourne Association gala and the WNO Opera Favourites concert.