BIOGRAPHY
Rebecca Hodgetts completed her postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music, from where she graduated in June 2006 with its highest award, a Dip RAM and the Clifton Prize for best vocal finalist. During her time at the Academy she was kindly supported by the Jospehine Baker Trust and the Denne Gilkes Memorial Fund. She has previously studied at Trinity College of Music, on the Baylis Programme at the English National Opera, and at Nottingham University where she achieved a music degree with first class honours. She currently studies privately with Julie Kennard. Last autumn Rebecca won a place on the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme in Aldeburgh, where she participated in masterclasses from Michael Chance and Malcolm Martineau.
She is equally at home on the concert platform and has performed as soprano soloist in Handel’s L’allegro under William Christie in the Spitalfields Festival to critical acclaim. Concert highlights in 2008 included Mendelssohn's Elijah in Peterborough Cathedral and Verdi Requiem in Malvern School. In 2007 she was invited to tour northern Norway as soprano soloist in Bach's B minor Mass for Vokal Nord, and was named a prize-winner by the Leith Hill Musical Festival culminating in a performance of Mozart's Requiem with the English Festival Orchestra. Other concert work has included, Purcell’s King Arthur in the Snape Proms conducted by Laurence Cummings (Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme), Mozart’s Exultate Jubilate with the Southern Pro Musica in Portsmouth, Poulenc's Gloria with the Slough Philharmonic, Handel’s Messiah, Fauré’s Requiem in St Martin-in-the-Fields with the Brandenburg Sinfonia, Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, and Handel’s Israel in Egypt in Arundel Cathedral.
Rebecca’s recent staged performances include Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel, Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro and Parthenis in Offenbach's La Belle Helene on Diva Opera's 2008 European Tour and the ground-breaking new production of Handel's L'allegro (cover il penseroso) at the Palais Garnier, Opéra National de Paris, choreographed by Robyn Orlin and conducted by William Christie. 2007 brought summer seasons with both Buxton Festival Opera, where amongst other duties she appeared as Eléonore in their production of Offenbach's Bluebeard, and British Youth Opera for whom she covered First Lady in their production of Magic Flute. Other roles include the title role in Handel's Semele (Hull Bach Ensemble); Bastienne (Bastien and Bastienne) for the Royal Academy; Giannetta (L’elisir d’amore) for Vox Lirika’s Spring Tour 2006; Adele (Die Fledermaus) for Southgate College Opera; Annina (La Traviata) for Vox Lirika; Despina (Cosi fan tutte) for Candlelight Opera in Oxford; Belinda (Dido and Aeneas), and an appearance with Opera Garden as Papagena and Second Lady in Mozart’s Magic Flute as part of the Aberdeen International Youth Festival.
She is equally at home on the concert platform and has performed as soprano soloist in Handel’s L’allegro under William Christie in the Spitalfields Festival to critical acclaim. Concert highlights in 2008 included Mendelssohn's Elijah in Peterborough Cathedral and Verdi Requiem in Malvern School. In 2007 she was invited to tour northern Norway as soprano soloist in Bach's B minor Mass for Vokal Nord, and was named a prize-winner by the Leith Hill Musical Festival culminating in a performance of Mozart's Requiem with the English Festival Orchestra. Other concert work has included, Purcell’s King Arthur in the Snape Proms conducted by Laurence Cummings (Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme), Mozart’s Exultate Jubilate with the Southern Pro Musica in Portsmouth, Poulenc's Gloria with the Slough Philharmonic, Handel’s Messiah, Fauré’s Requiem in St Martin-in-the-Fields with the Brandenburg Sinfonia, Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, and Handel’s Israel in Egypt in Arundel Cathedral.