Headshot of Harriet Eyley (credit Anita Watson)

Harriet Eyley

Soprano

Born in Derbyshire, Harriet Eyley is a graduate of the Royal College of Music International Opera School where she studied for an Artist Diploma, supported by the Siow-Furniss and Henry Wood Accommodation Trust Scholarships. She is the recipient of a First-Class BMus Honours degree, a Distinction in her MMus degree and was awarded the prestigious DipRAM for an outstanding final recital and master’s dissertation from the Royal Academy of Music. Harriet remains under the tutelage of Lillian Watson.

At the Royal College of Music, she sang Tytania A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Clotilde Faramondo, in association with the London Handel Festival, Vixen Sharp-Ears The Cunning Little Vixen, Serpetta La finta giardiniera and Thérèse Les mamelles de Tirésias.

She has worked with artists such as Sir Thomas Allen, Laurence Cummings, Malcolm Martineau and Roger Vignoles, and performed live for BBC Radio 3 In Tune and for HRH The Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace.

Career Highlights

Concert engagements have taken her to Derby and Guildford Cathedrals, De Montfort Hall, Leicester, and London’s Barbican Hall, Science Museum and St John’s, Smith Square. For British Youth Opera, she sang Nora Riders to the Sea.

Harriet Eyley was a second study pianist at the Birmingham Junior Conservatoire and remains thankful for past and present support including The Countess of Munster, Josephine Baker and Drake Calleja Trusts and Help Musicians UK.

Harriet Eyley was a Welsh National Opera Associate Artist between 2018 / 2020, her programme supported by the WNO Sir John Moores Award and the WNO Chris Ball Bursary. For WNO, she sang Frasquita Carmen, Norina Don Pasquale, Barbarina Le nozze di Figaro and Oscar Un ballo in maschera, as well as appearing in a series of concerts with the orchestra, A Night in Vienna.

Concert highlights have included Beethoven: The 1808 Concert with BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Four Seasons by Candlelight for Raymond Gubbay Ltd and New Year Gala concerts with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. She also appeared in Lucy Worsley’s Queen Victoria’s Music for BBC 2.

Recent engagements have included Meleagro La corona for Bampton Classical Opera, Focus on Amadigi for English Touring Opera’s 2021 Digital Season and one performance as Vixen Sharp-Ears The Cunning Little Vixen for Opera Holland Park.

Engagements during 2021 / 2022 included Beth Little Women for Opera Holland Park, Oriana Amadigi for English Touring Opera, Zerlina Don Giovanni for Welsh National Opera, Messiah on tour with Britten Sinfonia and Carols by Candlelight for Raymond Gubbay Ltd. With the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera, she appears in concert for Play Opera Live and Return to Vienna.

Engagements during 2022 / 2023 currently include Kristina The Makropulos Affair for Welsh National Opera, for whom she will also sing Messiah at St David’s Hall, Echo Ariadne auf Naxos for Garsington Opera at Wormsley and Carols by Candlelight at the Kultur und Kongresszentrum, Lucerne.

Harriet Eyley was announced as an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in their 2023 Honours in recognition of her distinguished position within the music profession and significant contribution in her particular field.

Last updated: 5th July 2023