In September 2008 Romanian soprano Simona Mihai joined the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden where she recently made her debut singing the Dew Fairy Hänsel und Gretel under Robin Ticciati.
Born in Bucharest, Simona Mihai attended the European Opera Centre, the Royal College of Music, London and the Benjamin Britten International Opera School as a Queen Mother Scholar. She was awarded the Rosemary Bugden Junior Fellowship at the RCM for 2005/06 and the David Bowerman Junior Fellowship for 2006/07 and is a Samling Foundation Scholar.
In September 2008 Simona Mihai joined the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden where she made her debut singing the Dew Fairy Hänsel und Gretel under Robin Ticciati, followed by Juliette Die Tote Stadt conducted by Ingo Metzmacher, Girl Lulu under Antonio Pappano and covered Belinda Dido & Aeneas and Oscar Un ballo in maschera, the former role which she sang on the mainstage when an artist was indisposed to critical acclaim.
In her second and final year on the programme in the 09-10 season, Simona performed Pepik and cover Vixen in The Cunning Little Vixen under Sir Charles Mackerras, sang Pousette and covered Manon with Antonio Pappano, and covers Ann Trulove in The Rake’s Progress. In addition she was given special permission to accept an offer to sing Despina Cosi fan tutte for Glyndebourne Tour this season conducted by Patrick Lange.
Other opera engagements have included Virtu L’incoronazione di Poppea in a new Robert Carsen production under Emmanuelle Haim at Glyndebourne Festival, Celio Lucio Silla in a production by Brigitte Fassbaender which toured the UK and Europe, Roksana Król Roger at the Teatro Massimo, Palermo conducted by Jan Latham-Koenig and Governess The Turn of the Screw for Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Chile.
She has also sung roles in Dialogues des Carmelites directed by Jude Kelly; the title role in Suor Angelica in concert in Poland and roles such as Susanna, Zerlina, Manon, Donna Elvira, Pamina, Lauretta and Sophie (Werther) in scenes and in concert.
Future engagements include Servilia La clemenza di Tito at the Aix-en-Provence Festival under Sir Colin Davis, Pousette Manon on tour with the Royal Opera House in Japan and Mendelssohn Symphony No.2 with the Camerata Salzburg.
A committed and enthusiastic recitalist Simona has performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Royal Danish Theatre, Copenhagen; Buxton Opera House; Edinburgh International Festival; Brighton Festival and Bath Festival, Birmingham Symphony Hall, the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool, Fairfield Halls, the Wigmore Hall, St John’s Smith Square and Cadogan Hall and in Italy, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and the US.
Simona is the recipient of numerous singing prizes including first prize at the Takasaky International Competition in Japan (1996); the Kathleen Ferrier Bursary for Young Singers; the National Mozart Competition; the Miriam Licette Prize and the Maggie Teyte Scholarship (in both 2003 and 2004); the Joaninha Trust Award and the Clonter Opera Prize.
Simona Mihai is represented by Intermusica worldwide.
July 2010 / 460 words. Not to be altered without permission. Please destroy all previous biographical material.
Despina in Mozart Così fan tutte
Glyndebourne Touring Opera / cond. Patrick Lange / dir. Nicholas Hytner
“This production has been searching for its ideal Don Alfonso — and in Riccardo Novaro it comes pretty near to finding him. Mozart and Rossini are his specialities, so it’s stylishly and powerfully sung — and with a brooding darkness that nicely matches the stern reality of this Despina. No flirting between them here: she always was a feisty, no-nonsense little number, and now, in Simona Mihai’s sour-sweet performance, the vestiges of charm are wiped by a sad wisdom that recognises when she has messed up.”
Hilary Finch, The Times, October 2009
“A pair of remarkable performances from Riccardo Novaro and Simona Mihai as the two connivers. Novaro's charismatic, beautiful-sounding Alfonso is very much the disillusioned sensualist who gets vicarious pleasures from preying on the lives of others. Mihai, with her laser-like voice, displays the knowing cynicism and quiet cunning of the born survivor.”
Tim Ashley, The Guardian, October 2009
“First night bouquets should be cast at the feet of Simona Mihai as scheming Despina - now there's a maid destined to rise above her station.”
Susan King, Mid Sussex Times, October 2009
Jette Parker Young Artists Programme Summer Concert
Royal Opera House / cond. Rory Macdonald, Dominic Grier & Daniele Rustioni/ dir. Thomas Guthrie
“Simona Mihai, charming as both Zerlina and Sophie (Werther) with a warm, easy upper register and arresting stage presence.”
Kate Molleson, Opera, October 2009
“Simona Mihai’s Zerlina was delightfully innocent and knowing with a lovely open quality to her voice.”
Andrew Maisel, Classical Source, July 2009
“Simona Mihai followed her pert Zerlina with a brief but impressive portrayal of Charlotte’s sweetly charming younger sister and confidant, Sophie.”
Jim Pritchard, MusicWeb International, July 2009
“Simona Mihai and Monika-Evelin Liiv formed a splendid duo as sisters Sophie and Charlotte, with clear French diction soaring with their vocal lines.”
John-Pierre Joyce, Music OMH, July 2009
Belina in Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas
Royal Opera House / cond. Christopher Hogwood / dir. Wayne McGregor
“But coming close to stealing the show was late stand-in Simona Mihai, a member of the Jette Parker Young Artists programme and a revelation as Belinda. It is always good to see young performers getting their chance to take centre stage, even better when they take advantage of that opportunity so completely as this young Romanian born singer with the sweet face and even sweeter voice. She has the kind of stage presence that makes it difficult to take your eyes off her and fully deserved the special and ovation given her in recognition of her efforts at the end - surely a name to remember.”
Don Gillan, StageBeauty.com, April 2009
Dew Fairy in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel
Royal Opera House / cond. Robin Ticciati / dir. Moshe Leiser & Patrice Caurier
“I fell for Simona Mihai's glamorous Dew Fairy”
Neil Fisher, The Times, December 2008
Samling Foundation Concert with Thomas Allen / Wigmore Hall
"Oxley had shown his operatic mettle in the concluding item of Part One, the closing duet from the First Act of 'La Boheme'. Here he was joined by the most impressive of the scholars, the soprano Simona Mihai. She had displayed her vivacity and confident high register in the Gavotte from 'Manon'; now she added the rounded tone and propulsive force of a true lyric soprano."
Richard Nicholson, www.classicalsource.com, January 2008
Governess in Britten The Turn of the Screw
Royal College of Music / cond. Michael Rosewell / dir. John Copley
"Simona Mihai's fervently sung Governess is a knockout, pure, in full command of the taxing vocal line."
The Stage, December 2003
"Simona Mihai's Governess is the perfect Jane-Eyreish figure I have always imagined."
The Spectator, December 2003
"Simona Mihai has a remarkably expressive voice and her portrayal of disguised vulnerability and increasing panic is one of the most compelling pieces of theatre I've seen this year."
Metro, November 2003
"Simona Mihai sang and acted with consummate artistry as the Governess, developing from eager and innocent new arrival to the tortured neurotic of the final scene…"
Sunday Telegraph, December 2003
Governess in Britten The Turn of the Screw
Teatro Municipal, Santiago / cond. Jan Latham Koenig / dir. M Lombardero
"Soprano Simona Mihai proudly takes ownership of the complex part, helped by the excellent projection and expressive power of her beautifully lyrical voice, and by the justness of her dramatic acting."
"La Soprano Simona Mihai asumió con gran propiedad su complejo rol gracias a una bella voz lírica de buena proyección y poder expresivo y a la legitimidad de su encarnación dramática."
El Mercurio, June 2006
"Soprano Simona Mihai goes from naivety to horror and all the steps between duty and fear, supported by the confidence of her clear and expressive tone."
"La soprano Simona Mihai pasa de la ingenuidad al horror y a la vacilación entre deber y miedo, a través de un timbro seguro, nítido y expresivo."
La Tercera, June 2006
Celia in Mozart Lucio Silla
European Opera Centre / cond. F Venture / dir. Brigitte Fassbaender
"Most have been through music college and further specialised training. But teenager Simona Mihai is causing some excitement in opera circles. She's only 19 but already the Romanian soprano shows such amazing talent that the EOC has granted her a place, and a leading role in Lucio Silla as Celia. Nick Winter says: "She is much younger than we usually take, but her talent is so exceptional that it seemed to be a fantastic opportunity to give her."
Manchester Evening News, January 1998
These are featured projects related to Simona Mihai:
Highlights
SIMONA MIHAI
2009/10 HIGHLIGHTS
• 13 October 2009 Despina in Mozart Così fan tutte, Glyndebourne on Tour, cond. Patrick Lange / Revival Dir. Ashley Dean (also 17, 22, 26 & 29 October - Glyndebourne; 3 & 6 November - Woking; 10 & 13 November - Stoke-on-Trent; 17 & 20 November - Norwich; 24 & 27 November - Milton Keyes; 1 & 4 December - Plymouth)
• January 2010 Covering Anne Trulove in Stravinsky The...