biography
Soprano Esther Shea is studying for her Master of Music at the Royal Northern College of Music where she studies with Mary Plazas. She has been awarded the Dame Eva Turner Award, the Sybil Tutton Opera Award and her studies are generously supported by the LHR Foundation and The Riga Heesom Award.
Her operatic roles include The Fox in Janáček's The Cunning Little Vixen (RNCM Opera upcoming), Ninette in Prokofiev's L'amour des trois orange (RNCM Opera), Mrs Coyle in Britten’s Owen Wingrave (RNCM Opera), Youka in Chabrier’s L’étoile (RNCM Opera) and Dido in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas (Bedfordshire Youth Opera). She also recently enjoyed singing the role of Ilia in an abridged version of Mozart's Idomeneo (RNCM Spotlight).
Additionally, she has brought to life a range of characters in opera scenes including Elisabetta (Maria Stuarda), La Contessa (Le nozze di Figaro), Sandrina (La finta giardiniera), Mariane (Tartuffe) and Don Ettore (La canterina).
As a concert soloist her repertoire includes Strauss' Vier letzte Lieder, Mozart’s C Minor Mass, Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 2, Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, Bach’s B Minor Mass and Handel's Solomon.
Esther is the winner of The RNCM Concerto Competition, The Joyce and Michael Kennedy Award for the Singing of Strauss and The Williams Howard Award. She has also competed twice as a finalist in The Frederic Cox Award. During her time at the RNCM she has received high commendations in the Elsie Thurston Competition, the James Oncken Song Prize and the Alexander Young Prize. In autumn 2023, she was selected to join the prestigious RNCM Songsters, an ensemble of singers and collaborative pianists specialising in song repertoire at the conservatoire. Through this platform, she has had the opportunity to perform in a variety of engagements, refining her interpretation of art song. Last summer, Esther was invited to perform a recital at the Buxton International Festival, showcasing a program of music by composers of African descent.
Esther grew up in Jersey in the Channel Islands where she began singing lessons with Jane Highfield, who remains a valued mentor and coach, before studying voice and piano at Chetham’s School of Music for sixth form. Performance highlights during her time there include Mahler’s Eighth Symphony at The Bridgewater Hall and Bach’s Saint Matthew Passion with English Touring Opera. Upon completing her studies, she was awarded The Drane Prize for Vocal Music. In 2024, she completed her undergraduate studies at the RNCM where she graduated with a First Class Honours Degree.
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