Carleen Ebbs is a New Zealand born lyric coloratura Soprano currently resident in the United Kingdom. Following completion of a Masters of Music from Victoria University of Wellington, Carleen pursued further study at The Guildhall School of Music & Drama London, graduating with Distinction in 2008.
Carleen is currently completing her studies with Dennis O'Neill at the International Academy of Voice in Cardiff, and is based between Cardiff and London.
Carleen was a semi finalist in the 2010 London Handel Competition. She is currently preparing the role of Madame Gilda from Donizetti's l'ajo nell'imbarazzo to perform with orchestra in Barga, Italy mid May 2010.
Carleen received classical ballet and piano lessons throughout her education and came to formal classical singing training through membership of the New Zealand Secondary Student's Choir 95/96. Throughout her training she performed extensively in New Zealand and the UK, in opera, recital and as a soloist in choral works. Operatic experience with orchestra includes the roles of Barbarina, The 1st Lady, and Frasquita, and the cover of Queen of the Night for the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. In fully staged and directed opera scenes, Carleen has performed excerpts from the roles of Susanna, Adina (currently preparing these full roles), Pamina, Semiramide, Lady Penelope, Blonda, Norina, and Despina. On the concert platform, Carleen has appeared as a soloist with choirs in NZ, England and Wales performing Mendelssohn's Elijah and Lauda Sion, Handel's Judas Maccabaeus and Messiah, Mozart's Coronation Mass, Schubert's Mass in G, and Vivaldi's Gloria.
In masterclasses Carleen has recently worked with Richard Bonynge, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, June Anderson, Della Jones, Dame Josephine Barstowe, Yvonne Kenny, Nelly Miriciou and Peter Lockwood.
Carleen was the recipient of The Mary McHardy Study Grant 2004, a Victoria University Anonymous Study Grant 2005, was named The Bank of New Zealand Victoria University Post Graduate Scholar in 2006 to assist her study in London, and in 2009 was an AMP Scholarship finalist. Carleen was a 2010 London Handel Competition semi finalist, a finalist in the 2008 Thelma King Award for Singers in the UK, a finalist in the Lockwood Aria NZ, and named the Most Promising Finalist in the Wellington Regional Aria 2004.
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