In tune with opera

Words by:
Kate Chapman
Featured in:
February 2025

She has been captivating audiences with her stunning voice from an early age and now Olivia Warburton is proving her versatility on the opera stage. Interview by Kate Chapman.

The former Lincoln Cathedral chorister graduated from the Royal Academy of Music, London, in 2019 and since moving to Germany four years ago has been lighting up theatres with a series of magical performances.

These include three title role debuts for Staatsoper Hamburg, among them the lead in a new production of The Diary of Anne Frank, for which Olivia won the Theatre Prize Hamburg ‘Rolf Mares’ for most outstanding performance in the 23/24 season.

With the 2024/25 opera season underway in Germany, soprano Olivia is taking up a role as company soloist with the Hamburg State Opera where she will reprise her role of Anne Frank, as well as singing Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, Najade in Strauss’ Ariadne Auf Naxos and Nannetta in Verdi’s comic opera Falstaff.

“I love working both overseas and in the UK. We took a chance and moved here during a lull in the pandemic. The theatre system in Germany is much better funded and as a young artist starting out, there are so many more opportunities,”’ says Olivia, who grew up in Winteringham, North Lincolnshire.

“There are a lot of things coming up this season, which is really exciting. For me, there’s nothing quite like opera – you have music, drama, amazing costumes and make-up, lighting, video, choreography – the coming together of so many brilliant artists from all of these highly specialised fields to create one huge piece of theatre is what makes it so unique.”

Early music memories
Olivia’s passion for singing stems back to her childhood, when even as a toddler she was at her happiest when her parents settled her in front of nursery rhyme videos.

She recalls: “I was singing as soon as I was able to. It all started when I used to share lifts to school with a boy whose mum played the ‘Best of the 60s’ music and we’d both sing along in the back of the car. 

“She noticed we enjoyed singing and had good voices. We both had singing lessons and then he was auditioning for Lincoln Cathedral choir and his mum suggested I audition too. I was about nine at the time and didn’t really have much of an idea about what was involved but I wanted to do it.

“We were on holiday when the call came to say I’d won a scholarship to study and be a chorister. I was amazed by it all at the open day and that’s how my musical education started.”

As a boarder Olivia found the change in lifestyle very different, especially as she was expected to put in around 20 of hours of singing, on top of her schoolwork, each week.

It was a massive commitment, and the school was much more academic. It took me about a year to really get used to it, but then something clicked. I was a chorister for five years and had a brilliant choirmaster, Aric Prentice, who like many of my teachers was very encouraging. I got married at the cathedral [last] summer and Aric conducted the choir, which was very special.”

Developing talent
Olivia began to think about how she could incorporate singing into her future career. While she searched for a work experience placement, she discovered Opera North, in Leeds, was holding auditions and decided to try out. She gained a child’s role in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and toured for two seasons with the company, also performing in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

After completing her GCSEs and A Levels, Olivia took time out to prepare herself for the next step. On the advice of her teachers, she sought a place at a conservatoire and went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music for eight years, gaining a Bachelor of music, a Master of Music and an Artist Diploma in Opera Studies.

“It takes a long time to become an opera singer and to develop your voice, plus there are lots of other things to learn outside of the singing,” adds Olivia, who as a recitalist has performed to critical acclaim at Wigmore Hall, The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace and the Aldeburgh Festival.

“These include learning languages – I can sing in Italian, German, French and English and have also dipped a toe into Russian – as well as stage presence, the history of music, keyboard skills, composition and much more. That’s why I ended up studying for eight years. I’m a soprano, although I studied for quite a long time as a mezzo-soprano. My vocal range is quite large, so I get to sing a variety of different roles.”

Online concerts
It’s not all been plain sailing though. On graduating with first-class honours and distinction, Olivia’s first role was sadly cancelled when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. She spent lockdown with her family in North Lincolnshire and during that time launched a series of successful online concerts – Sunday at Six – in collaboration with her husband, conductor and pianist Finnegan Downie Dear, which connected audiences around the world. When things began to open up again, the couple moved overseas, settling in Berlin.

“There’s quite a bit going on in the coming months, but I was delighted to come back to the UK [in the] summer to sing in Nevill Holt’s production of The Magic Flute, it was really special to play the role of Pamina,” says Olivia.

“Having played a child role in The Magic Flute all those years ago, it felt like a big full-circle moment – plus my husband was conducting, so it was really special.

“I love singing roles by Mozart, and I also love singing and supporting new opera and new composers. One day I’d love to work with a composer on a piece written specifically for my voice. For now, I’m just looking forward to doing more of what I’ve been doing.

“There’s always something very special about live theatre. Especially in this day and age when we’re so busy and preoccupied with our phones. It’s amazing to be able to go to the theatre, turn your phone off, sit down for two hours and share an experience. I think that’s why I love doing it so much.”

Main photograph: Photography: Pierre Lidar



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