Claire Lees

Claire Lees is the winner of the 2019 Wil Keune Mozart Prize at the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition. She recently sang the role of Adina at Iford Arts in their production of L’elisir d’amore and also made her Opera Holland park debut, singing the role of Oscar in the Young Artist performance of Un ballo in maschera. She is a Samling Artist and is a recipient of an Independent Opera Voice Scholarship and Fellowship.

In 2018, Claire sang in her first season in the Glyndebourne Festival Chorus where she covered the role of Yniold in Debussy’s Pelleas et Melisande and sang in the chorus in the revivals of Handel’s Guilio Cesare and Saul and in a new production of Barber’s Vanessa. She then joined them for their 50th anniversary tour covering a Spirit in Massenet’s Cendrillon and chorus in Verdi’s La Traviata.

Operatic roles include Yniold (cover), Pelleas et Melisande, Glyndebourne Festival Opera. Lauretta, Gianni Schicchi, Barbican Hall. Sœur Constance, Dialogues des Carmélites, GSMD. Pamina, The Magic Flute, Iford Arts. Foreign Woman, The Consul, GSMD. Papagena, Die Zauberflöte, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Drusilla, L’incoronazione di Poppea, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Claire has performed in numerous venues such as the Wigmore Hall, the Barbican Hall, St James’ Piccadilly, St Martin-in-the-Fields and Peterborough Cathedral.

Claire has worked with Iain Burnside on his Drums and Guns project in collaboration with the Juilliard School and Royal Irish Academy of Music, performing in Dublin, London and New York.

Claire graduated from the Opera Course at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in 2018. She continues to study with Yvonne Kenny. Claire is a recipient of the Opera Awards Foundation bursary in 2019/20.