Biography

Olivia Carrell is a lyric soprano from Hertfordshire, based in London.

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Her 2026/27 season includes a solo debut with the BBC Concert Orchestra, recording George Dyson’s Hierusalem for broadcast on BBC Radio 3; a performance as soprano soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Emmanuelle Haïm; and her role debut as La Dame Pâle in Prokofiev’s The Gambler at Wexford Festival Opera. In summer 2026, she made her debut at Opera Holland Park as Ida in Strauss’s Die Fledermaus, earning a special mention in The Guardian for her performance, in which she “sparkled in the role of Ida”.

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Her operatic highlights include Blanche de la Force in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites, directed by Orpha Phelan, a performance praised by critics for its “astounding” dramatic impact and “stunning vocals”. She covered Iris in Barrie Kosky’s production of Handel’s Semele at Opéra de Lille, conducted by Emmanuelle Haïm, and made her Mozart debut as Tamiri in Il Pe Pastore at Buxton International Festival, conducted by Adrian Kelly, where Bachtrack praised her “silvery soprano”.

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Olivia has a particular interest in contemporary classical music. Recent projects include recording the role of Polly in Richard Stoker’s 1960s opera Johnson Preserv’d, scheduled for publication and broadcast in autumn 2026, and performing The Growth of the Silk, a new work composed for her, at London’s Tête à Tête Opera Festival. The work was singled out by the festival’s founder, Bill Bankes-Jones, as “the highlight of the festival for me”.

Olivia is a semi-finalist of the 2024 International Handel Competition and the 2024 Hurn Court Opera Competition. She is also a member of the Philharmonia chorus.​