INDEPENDENT OPERA at Sadler's Wells · Artist support

Eliana Pretorian Soprano

Recipient of INDEPENDENT OPERA Postgraduate Voice Fellowship

Eliana Pretorian was born in Romania and after studying choreography and universal languages, she received a singing scholarship to the National Academy of Music in Bucharest. In 2001 she was awarded a full scholarship to the RCM in London kindly supported by the Sacher Trust, The Wall Trust and Mr. and Mrs. Hayes Scholarship Award. After graduating with First Class Honors she went on to study at the National Opera Studio.

Eliana’s outstanding potential was recognized by Glyndebourne Festival Opera with whom she made her company debut in 2009 as Giannetta (L’elisir d’amore) under Maurizio Benini (live broadcast for Sky Arts and DVD release). With Glyndebourne on Tour she has appeared as Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), Dew Fairy (Hänsel und Gretel), Karolka (Jenůfa), and this last season she appeared as Zerlina (Don Giovanni). Other roles include Naiad (Ariadne auf Naxos) and Clorinda (La Cenerentola) both for Garsington Opera, Despina (Così fan tutte) for Longborough Festival Opera, and Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) for English Touring Opera.

In concert she has sung Handel’s Messiah withThe Philadelphia Orchestra and London Chamber Orchestra under Christopher Warren-Green, Dircé (Médée) with the Gulbenkian Orchestra under

Lawrence Foster and Haydn opera arias with the Classical Opera Company. Eliana made her Cadogan Hall debut with Messiah with the Orchestra of St John’s under John Lubbock, with whom she has enjoyed a long collaboration, including Haydn’s The Creation and Mozart’s Exultate Jubilate, Requiem and Mass in C Minor (Dorchester Cathedral and Cadogan Hall). In 2010 she was commissioned for a Royal Opera House contemporary opera project under the direction of John Lloyd Davies.

In recital Eliana sang at St. John’s Smith Square, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Beaminster Festival, Victoria Hall Stoke-on-Trent and in many other private venues across the UK. Her concert work has taken her to many countries including Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and South Africa.

As a member of the “Benjamin Britten International Opera School” at the RCM her operatic roles included the part of Adele (Die Fledermaus) directed by Paul Curran, the Nightingale and the Princess (L’enfant et les sortileges) directed by Jean-Claude Auvray and Amor and Valetto (L’incoronazione di Poppea) again under the direction of Paul Curran. At the National Opera Studio she performed in opera scenes encompassing a range of soprano roles, from Ilia (Idomeneo) and Manon (Manon Lescault, Massenet) to Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos) and she enjoyed critical acclaim for her interpretation of the Vixen (The Cunning Little Vixen) in the final NOS Showcase under the musical direction of David Parry.

Eliana is the recipient of many awards including the Independent Opera Award, Sybil Tutton Award, Georg Solti Academy scholarship to study with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, The Concordia Foundation Berthel Prize Award and the Graziella Sciutti Prize for the most promising young singer.

She has participated in masterclasses with Joan Sutherland, Kiri Te Kanawa, Tereza Berganza, Nelly Miricioiu, Philip Langridge, Peter Schreier, Thomas Allen, Craig Rutenberg and Wolfgang Holzmair among others.