Lianne Birkett

Lianne Birkett, born in Southampton, has achieved a Distinction in her Masters of Solo Performance at the RNCM and a First Class Bmus Hons from Birmingham Conservatoire. She is currently studying with tenor Arwell Treharne-Morgan. Lianne has been a successful recipient of the Dame Eva Turner Fund Award, a Finalist in the Frederic Cox Award, the winner of the Joyce and Michael Kennedy Award for the Singing of Strauss and was awarded second place in the Mario Lanza Opera Prize. Her operatic experience includes Lucy The Telephone by Menotti (Irrational Theatre) Tiny (cover) Paul Bunyan (BYO) Female Chorus (scene) Rape of Lucretia (RNCM), Arabella (scene) Arabella (RNCM), Sylvianne in The Merry Widow (Opera Project), Mrs Coaxer The Beggar’s Opera (Opera Project), Cousin Madame Butterfly (Opera Project), Musetta (scene) La Boheme (Birmingham Conservatoire), Mimi (scene) La Boheme (Birmingham Conservatoire) and Third Lady Die Zauberflute (Birmingham Conservatoire). Her concert experience includes soprano soloist in Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, Medelssohn’s Elijah and Verdi’s Requiem. Away form the opera scene Lianne has gained extensive experience as an entertainer. At the age of 26 she began appearing as various well known princesses at childrens parties. Skills she has acquired thorugh doing those are balloon modelling, glitter tattoos and basic face painting. Lianne has also worked as a singing waitress for Oxford based company Opera Anywhere, where by blending in with waiting staff performers surprise guests by breaking into song. Lianne also enjoys charitable work. In 2007, along with friend and colleague Anna Jeffers, she created a show called Around The Opera in 80 Minutes to help raise charity for Group B Strep Support after losing a niece unexpectedly to this little known condition. Lianne has also helped to raise money for Netley Chapel by compiling a programme of operatic and musical theatre repertoire in which she performed a concert in October 2015 with pianist Leo Nicholson. For the past couple of years Lianne has been appearing in care homes to entertain the elderly, something she really loves.