Daphne Touchais

One of the most interesting young artists to come out of France in recent years, soprano Daphné Touchais was awarded First Prize as well as several other distinctions at the International Baroque Competition in Chimay, Belgium. In 2002, she was awarded the Singing Prize and Certificate in Old Music, and more recently, she studied with the Atelier Lyrique des Jeunes Voix du Rhin in Strasbourg. She has participated in masterclasses with Giulianno Carella, Gérard Lesne, Howard Crook, Anthony Rooley and Rinaldo Alessandrini.

One of the most interesting young artists to come out of France in recent years, soprano Daphné Touchais was awarded First Prize as well as several other distinctions at the International Baroque Competition in Chimay, Belgium. In 2002, she was awarded the Singing Prize and Certificate in Old Music, and more recently, she studied with the Atelier Lyrique des Jeunes Voix du Rhin in Strasbourg. She has participated in masterclasses with Giulianno Carella, Gérard Lesne, Howard Crook, Anthony Rooley and Rinaldo Alessandrini.

A versatile and musical artist, her repertoire to date spans Baroque to contemporary compositions, and her engagements have included Barbarina LE NOZZE DI FIGARO under the baton of Jérôme Pillement, Cupidon ORPHEE AUX ENFERS with Patrick Davin at Cologne Opera and Papagena DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE with Ton Koopman for the Netherlands Reisopera. In addition, she sang the role of Eléonore LARMES DE COUTEAU by Martinu at the Théâtre de l'Athénée Paris, Laurette LE DOCTEUR MIRACLE by Bizet and La Fée CENDRILLON by Pauline Viardot with the Atelier Lyrique du Rhin. Other significant engagements have included the role of Charite in Lully CADMUS ET HERMIONE, conducted by Christophe Rousset at the Académie d'Ambronay, the role of Lady with a Cake Box POSTCARD FROM MOROCCO in Alsace and la Musica L'ORFEO (Monteverdi) at the Opéra National de Lyon under Philip Pickett.

Her concert appearances have included a programme of music by Monteverdi in Bordeaux with the Ensemble Sagittarius in 2001 and the Festival du Pays d'Auge in 2002. Her oratorio repertoire has included Bach Weinachtsoritorium; Haydn Die Sieben Letzten Worte and Missa in Tempore Belli; Monteverdi Vespri della Beata Vergine, as well as Mozart C Minor Mass and Requiem. She also sang a program of Baroque scenes prepared by Emmanuelle Haim on tour in France. Last season she sang Susanna LE NOZZE DI FIGARO with Opéra en Plein Air at the Château de Luçon and Ramiro LA FINTA GIARDINIERA in Royauont and on tour in France, conducted by David Stern.

She has recently sung the Poulenc Gloria in Oviedo, Spain, conducted by Maximiliano Valdes, and Herminie(Berlioz) with the BBC Concert Orchestra. She has also just recorded the part of Mélisande ARIANE ET BARBE-BLEUE (Dukas) under Leon Botstein and sung Wood Nymph RUSALKA and the title role RITA for the Wexford Festival and Iphis JEPHTHA for Opera Fuoco. Future plans include Oscar UN BALLO IN MASCHERA for the Opéra National de Bordeaux; and Belinda DIDO AND AENEAS and Frau Silberklang DER SCHAUSPIELDIREKTOR for Opera Fuoco.