Caryl Hughes graduated with distinction from the Royal Academy of Music in 2007. She subsequently received an inaugural HRH Prince of Wales Scholarship for Advanced Study in Music to attend Cardiff International Academy of Voice, under the direction of tenor Dennis O’Neill. Other awards include the 2009 Stuart Burrows International Voice Award, the 2006 Morriston Orpheus Young Singer of the Year Award, W. Towyn Roberts Scholarship at the 2005 National Eisteddfod of Wales, second prize winner in the Opera Rara Patric Schmid Bel Canto Prize 2007 and an S4C scholarship for developing talent. Caryl is both a Britten-Pears and Samling scholar.
Caryl made her professional debut for Scottish Opera in the 2007/8 season in the title role of Rossini’s Cenerentola and returned the following season to sing Varvara in Katya Kabanova. She has also understudied the roles of Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro and Dorabella in Cosi Fan Tutte for the company. In 2008, she sang Teti in Le nozze di Teti e di Peleo for Welsh National Opera, conducted by Carlo Rizzi and returned to sing Orlovsky inDie Fledermaus and to understudy Sifare in Mitridate for the company.
Caryl has performed in several contemporary operas, namely Angela in the world-première of Nicola LeFanu's Dream Hunter, Flora in the world première of Jonathan Dove’s The Enchanted Pig for the Young Vic Theatre and The Opera Group, Sonya in Sonya's Story for the Tête à Tête Festivaland Rita Rat in Fantastic Mr Fox for English Touring Opera.
Other operatic roles include Olga in Eugene Oneginand First Nymph in Rusalka for Grange Park Opera, Cenerentola for Iford Arts Festival, Cosette in Les Misérables for Pimlico Opera, Madama Brilliante for Bampton Opera's The Italian Girl in London at Buxton Festival and St John's Smith Square, Carmen for Opra Cymru, Rosina in The Barber of Seville for Armonico Consort, Irene in Tamerlano for Opera by Definition and Yniold in Pelléas et Mélisande for Independent Opera. In 2010 Caryl appeared as a Young Artist at the Azuriales Festival in Cap Ferrat, France and was a finalist in their Ozone Young Artists' Competition
Concert highlights include a gala concert with Bryn Terfel at Grange Park Opera and Hay on Wye Festival and performing for HRH the Prince of Wales at Cardiff Castle. Caryl performed Britten’s Cabaret Songs at the 2009 Aix-en-Provence and Aldeburgh Festivals and has appeared in concerts and recitals at The Sage Gateshead, Cadogan Hall, Wales Millennium Centre and the Wigmore Hall, London.
Caryl’s debut album of Britten’s Cabaret Songs accompanied by Malcolm Martineau was released in 2011 on the Onyx label.
Recent engagements include Maria in West Side Story for Pimlico Opera. Future plans include a UK concert tour with Bryn Terfel for Raymond Gubbay Ltd, opera galas in Seville and Giancinta in La Finta Semplice for Bampton Classical Opera.
Bach
Christmas Oratorio
Bruckner
Requiem
Handel
Israel in Egypt
Haydn
Missa Brevis
Haydn
Nelson Mass
Mozart
Requiem
Pergolesi
Stabat Mater
Rossini
Petite Messe Solennelle
Rossini
Stabat Mater
Vivaldi
Gloria
Rossini
Petite Messe Solennelle
Bizet
CarmenCarmen
Britten
The Rape of LucretiaFemale Chorus
Cavalli
Le nozze di Teti e di PeleoTeti
Cimarosa
The Italian Girl in LondonMadama Brilliante
Debussy
Péleas et MélisandeYniold
Dove
The Enchanted PigFlora
Dvorak
RusalkaFirst Nymph
Handel
RinaldoEustazio
Handel
TamerlanoIrene
Janacek
Katya KabanovaVarvara
Johann Strauss
Die FledermausOrlovsky
Mozart
Le nozze di FigaroCherubino
Mozart
Cosi Fan TutteDorabella
Mozart
MitridateSifare
Picker
Fantastic Mr FoxRita Rat
Rossini
La CenerentolaCenerentola
Rossini
The Barber of SevilleRosina
Thornton
Sonya's StorySonya
Weir
A Night at the Chinese OperaLittle Moon
Britten
The Rape of Lucretia
Female Chorus
Cavalli
Le nozze di Teti e di Peleo
Teti
Cimarosa
The Italian Girl in London
Madama Brilliante
Debussy
Péleas et Mélisande
Yniold
Dove
The Enchanted Pig
Flora
Dvorak
Rusalka
First Nymph
Janacek
Katya Kabanova
Varvara
Johann Strauss
Die Fledermaus
Orlovsky
Mozart
Le nozze di Figaro
Cherubino
Mozart
Cosi Fan Tutte
Dorabella
Picker
Fantastic Mr Fox
Rita Rat
Rossini
La Cenerentola
Cenerentola
Rossini
The Barber of Seville
Rosina
Thornton
Sonya's Story
Sonya
Weir
A Night at the Chinese Opera
Little Moon
Christmas Oratorio, Sheffield Cathedral
Sheffield Telegraph
..the quality voice belonged to mezzo-soprano Caryl Hughes, whose singing had individuality.
Kathleen Ferrier Prize, Wigmore Hall
classicalsource.com
The mezzo, Caryl Hughes, had a bite in her tone in Handel’s Svegliatevi nel core, produced a well poised high note in Obradors’s Del cabello más sutil and sang his El vito with élan.
Cinderella, Scottish Opera
The Scotsman
“Hughes makes for a beguiling Cinderella, singing beautifully and acting with aplomb.
Yniold in Pelléas et Mélisande for Independent Opera
Music and Vision
Caryl Hughes was charming and convincing as the young Yniold.. and the scene in which Yniold sits on Golaud’s shoulders was truly terrifying, thanks to the fine interaction between Hughes and Foster-Williams.
La Cenerentola, Iford Festival Opera
Opera Magazine
The deepest impression was made by Caryl Hughes in the title role. Her expressive mezzo is judiciously weighted throughout the range and most musically used, both in terms of tonal colouring and the finesse of her fioriture. She was a pert stage presence, using her eyes to dramatic effect, but just as noteworthy was her combination of stamina and sensible pacing. Cenerentola's final showcase aria can be a stumbling-block not just for the singer but for the whole opera, yet Hughes blossomed at just the right time, yet without any feeling of having stinted on the way.
Sonya's Story, tete-a-tete Festival, Riverside Studios
The Independent
Two superb young singers carried the work.. Caryl Hughes as Sonya, on stage throughout and portraying with total conviction those Chekhovian qualities of self-doubt, unrequited love and the quest for a meaningful existence.
Fantastic Mr Fox for English Touring Opera
Evening Star
The second act.. its high point being Rita Rat's aria, a tour de force from Caryl Hughes.
Rusalka for Grange Park Opera
theartsdesk.com
Caryl Hughes as number one makes an impact with her seductive third act solo.
Madame Brilliante in Italian Girl in London for Bampton Classical Opera
Opera Now
The piece was stolen by Caryl Hughes’s Madame Brilliante who added effortless comic assurance to her portfolio, singing with focus and great technique.”
