About

Sarah Minns is a critically acclaimed London based soprano. She has been praised for her “needlepoint vocal accuracy and impressive dramatic range” and described as “one of the most capable actors in classical singing”. Sarah started her operatic career at 18 years old playing the role of Verity in the World Premiere of Jago by Mike Westbrook (broadcast on BBC Radio 3 This early experience started a lifelong passion for opera, particularly  new writing.

Sarah has worked with many of the national opera companies including Opera North, Opera Holland Park, Grange Park Opera, Longborough Festival Opera, Welsh National Opera, and Opera Rara.

Operatic roles include: Elle La Voix Humaine, Norina Don Pasquale, Adina E’lisir d’amore, Susanna The Marriage of Figaro, Musetta La Boheme, Vixen The Cunning Little Vixen, Carolina Il Matrimonio Segreto, Micaela Carmen, Karolina The Two Widows, Micaela Carmen, Frasquita Carmen, Gretel Hansel and Gretel, Miss Wordsworth Albert Herring, Bianca/Gabriella La Rondine, Lili Beguin, Margot la Rouge, Miss Wordsworth Albert Herring.

Recent contemporary opera projects include:

Kay My Life Online by Scott Eyerly* (World Premiere, Edinburgh Festival)

Adina A Feast in the Time of Plague by Alex Woolf & David Poutney (World Premiere, Grange Park Opera)
Title role The Young Wife*  by Katarzyna Brochocka (UK Premiere)
Miss Havisham* Miss Havisham’s Wedding Night by Dominick Argento (Grange Park Opera & Arcola)
Ulla Ulla’s Odyssey by Anthony Young (World Premiere)
Lou Salomé* Insomnia by Manfred Trojahn (UK Premiere)
Martha The Choker (World Premiere, Tête à Tête)
One and the Crowd (Wept)… (World Premiere, Tête à Tête)
Violet The Invited (World Premiere, Grimeborn)
title role of Eleanor Vale (World Premiere by John Barber)
Sprite Fantastic Mr. Fox by Tobias Picker (European Premiere, Opera Holland Park)
Swan Swanhunter by Jonathan Dove (Opera North)

Opera in development includes: Anon (Errolyn Wallen) for Welsh National Opera, the role of Charlotte in Unquiet (John Barber) for Company of Angels, Cassandra, The Trojan Woman (Sarah Taylor Ellis).

Film projects include the role of Musetta in Puccini’s La Boheme for finite films.

Opera on record includes; Flower girl/Forest creature The poisoned Kiss conducted by Richard Hickox for CHANDOS Records, and Rossini’s Semiramide with Sir Mark Elder conducting for Opera Rara.

Sarah trained at the Royal Academy of Music and at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. During her time in Cardiff Sarah held a vocal scholarship with the BBC and sang with Welsh National Youth Opera.

As a student she was awarded the Redman Interpretation Prize. Other awards include the Peter Morris Scholarship for Sopranos, Aneurin Davies Memorial Prize, Dolan Evans Memorial Award & the Margaret Tann Williams Award.

Sarah is experienced on the oratorio and concert platform. She enjoys singing a wide variety of repertoire. She has performed as a soloist for the BBC and has been invited as a guest soloist for a number of high profile corporate companies and charities.

Sarah founded a performance coaching business in 2020 (www.best-performancecoaching.com). The focus is to help young creatives to navigate the often difficult profession of performing. Sarah cares deeply about mentoring the next generation, to help to equip them with tools to aid their mental health, confidence, overcome performance anxiety and to thrive as creatives. Sarah graduated with a diploma of hypnotherapy in 2019 and is currently completing a Masters in Performance Psychology with the University of Bangor. Sarah’s approach combines coaching, psychological skills training, and relaxation techniques to help to empower and support clients. 

*One Woman Opera