Biography
Born in Tuscany, British-Italian soprano Victoria Armillotta has a particular affinity for Verismo repertoire, drawn by the immediate visceral connection this music evokes. Currently based in London, she is a recent graduate of the Royal Academy of Music where she gained a Distinction in her Master of Arts degree under the tutelage of Nuccia Focile. Victoria previously studied at the Royal Northern College of Music where she was awarded a First Class Honours Bachelor of Music degree.
Victoria recently performed the role of Giorgetta (Il tabarro) with Opera Cameratina, Dorset directed by Sir John Tomlinson and Susanna Stranders (ROH) after which she performed in a recital with the opera's cast and Sir John Tomlinson. She will also perform a major role in London in August (to be announced).
In the RAM opera scenes, Victoria performed the roles of Mimì (La Bohème), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Suzel (L’amico Fritz) and Giulietta (I Capuleti e i Montecchi). Other operatic roles include Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) with the Berlin Opera Academy, Musetta (La Bohème) with Leeds Youth Opera, Euridice (Orfeo ed Euridice) with Stella Maris Trio, Malice (The Pilgrim’s Progress) at the RNCM, Erster Knabe (Die Zauberflöte), Mabel (The Pirates of Penzance) and the title role of Patience with Somerset Opera. In the RNCM opera scenes, she performed Noémie (Cendrillon) and Serpina (La serva padrona). As a chorister, Victoria performed in Roméo et Juliette and Die Zauberflöte with Savonlinna Opera Festival, Suor Angelica, Cendrillon, and The Pilgrim’s Progress at the RNCM, in Aida with Ellen Kent Opera & Ballet International (Palace Theatre Manchester) and Tarka the Otter by Stephen McNeff with the Two Moors Festival under the baton of Nicholas Cleobury (Exeter Cathedral). Further chorus work in baroque operas includes Venus and Adonis and Acis and Galatea alongside eminent baritone Donald Maxwell.
Her concert highlights include appearing on German television as an operatic soloist in Fête de la Musique Berlin and recently performing Luonnotar Op.70 by Sibelius with Harrow Symphony Orchestra. Victoria has also premiered several contemporary works, three of which were part of her interdisciplinary project combining fine art and contemporary music A Sea Spell: Rossetti’s Sonnet and Painting Reimagined for voice and chamber ensemble. Also a passionate chamber musician, she performs with Stella Maris Trio around the UK. Together, they have performed many concert programmes in distinguished venues such as Blenheim Palace and Exeter Cathedral.
As an oratorio soloist, her repertoire includes First Lady in Handel’s Solomon, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass and Schubert’s Mass in G. As a chorister, she performed in Haydn’s Die Schöpfung at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms alongside the BBC Philharmonic under the baton of Omer Meir Wellber and in the Royal Academy Chorus in Mahler’s Third Symphony conducted by Semyon Bychkov at the Royal Festival Hall. She is also a current member of the Philharmonia Chorus.
Over the years Victoria has attended summer schools such as the Berlin Opera Academy, British Youth Opera, Abingdon Summer School for Solo Singers, AIMS, and is an alumna of the Wales International Academy of Voice Saturday Academy where she studied with Patricia O’Neill. She has taken part in several masterclasses with international artists and directors including Lisette Oropesa, Wolfgang Holzmair, Susan Bullock, Ailish Tynan, Donald Maxwell, Gail Pearson, Leah-Marian Jones, Richard Jackson, Steven Varcoe, Susan McCulloch, Henry Herford, Margaret Humphrey-Clarke, Carlos Aransay, Elaine Kidd, Julius Drake, James Baillieu, Anne Le Bozec, Catrin Johnsson and Rachel Fuller.
Alongside performing, Victoria has a keen interest in Italian language coaching - she is passionate about preserving authentic lyric diction of sung Italian. Currently, she coaches Italian privately. Previously, she coached at the Royal Academy of Music as well as shadowing the language coaches at Opera North for their productions of Gianni Schicchi and Aida in 2019 and coaching the chorus of La Bohème for Leeds Youth Opera in 2018. Victoria also holds a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music (LRAM) in Vocal teaching.
Furthermore, she is an accomplished linguist: she speaks English, Italian, French, Spanish and a little German. No linguistic challenge is too far-fetched for Victoria, as she has also sung in Czech, Russian, Ukrainian, Norwegian and Finnish!
Her MA studies were generously supported by the Black Heart Foundation, the Winship Foundation, the de Laszlo Foundation and the Clemence Charitable Trust whom she is incredibly grateful to.
In her spare time, Victoria can be found creating fine art and exploring the world of portraiture. Other interests include reading, animal welfare and going on long dog walks in nature.
