BIOGRAPHY
Praised for her crystal-clear voice, British soprano Sarah Gilford is a recent 1st prize winner of the "Bolko von Hochberg" International Lied Competition, finalist of the Concurs Tenor Viñas 2024, Song Prize finalist at BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2021 and an alumnus of the prestigious Opernstudio at the Bayerische Staatsoper.
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Sarah begins the 2025/26 performing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at Royal Albert Hall alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. She will make her debut as Nerea in Handel's Deidamia at Wexford Opera Festival and later in the season she will revive the role at the Göttingen Handel Festival. She will be returning to Wigmore Hall for a recital as part of the Samling Academy's annual showcase and to the Royal Ballet and Opera to cover Dalinda in Handel's Ariodante. In the new year, Sarah will sing Silvera in J C Bach's Zanaida with Potsdamer Winteroper.
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"Sarah Gilford, who embodies Dalinda with a captivating voice, perfectly balanced in its registers and with a high-level interpretative capacity."
CRESCENDO
Opera highlights of previous seasons include, her debut as Sophie in Werther at the Royal Ballet and Opera, Governess in The Turn of the Screw at Theatre Royal in Bath, Juliette in Die tote Stadt at the Bergen Nasjonale Opera, First and Second Niece in Peter Grimes at the Bayerische Staatsoper and Staatsoper Hamburg and Woglinde in Götterdämmerung at Stadttheater Klagenfurt.
Sarah has performed Dalinda in Handel's Ariodante in concert version on tour with Il Pomo d'Oro and also with Les Arts Florissants under the baton of William Christie at the Grand Théâtre de Genève.
At Stadttheater Klagenfurt, as a member of the ensemble, she sang Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Soprano I in Rihm’s Jakob Lenz, and Gilda in Rigoletto. At the Bayerische Staatsoper, Sarah performed roles including the title role in Thomas’ Mignon at the Cuvilliés Theatre, as Giannetta in L’Elisir d’Amore, as Taumännchen in Hänsel und Gretel, and as Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro.
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"Sophie was charming debutante Sarah Gilford, whose lyric soprano fitted the role like a glove - more from her, please."
OPERA NOW
"With soulful piani, yes practically angelic, and secure high notes, one experiences Sarah Gilford as Gilda."
KLEINEZEITUNG
Concert highlights of previous seasons include numerous performances of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Barbican Centre in London, Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini in Parma and the Westfalen Philharmonie in Dinslaken and Borken. She performed Mendelssohn's Elijah with the Berlin Philharmonic and Handel's Messiah with the Kärntner Sinfonieorchester.
As a recitalist Sarah has performed in venues such as Wigmore Hall, Royal Ballet and Opera and Fundación Juan March .
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Sarah is very grateful to the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation, Imogen Cooper Music Trust and Samling for their continued support of her career.