Biography - Flora McIntosh

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London-born Flora McIntosh has already attracted wide attention and praise for her 'wonderfully rich' mezzo soprano, ‘thrilling’ stage presence and ‘vivid’ characterisation.

Engagements in 2018 included Das Lied von der Erde with English National Ballet, Filipyevna in Eugene Onegin for OperaUpClose, Pauline in the UK premiere of Gounod’s Polyeucte (UCOpera), Lucy Lockit in The Beggar's Opera (Oborne Opera and Mastersingers UK), Dryad in Ariadne auf Naxos for Longborough Festival, the title role in Donizetti's Maria Stuarda (National Trust collaboration) and Mercedes in Carmen for The Prison Choir Project. Other notable performances include Romeo in I Capuletti e i Montechi for Pop-Up Opera and Carmen for OperaUpClose - both of which received significant critical acclaim.

In 2016 Flora created the role of The Goddess of the Sea in a new opera for children Ulla's Odyssey and made her Wagnerian debut covering Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde for Longborough Festival Opera 2017. She has sung Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly (Regents Opera), Flora in La Traviata (Soho/Tricycle Theatre), Judith in Duke Bluebeard's Castle (RNCM and Northwall Arts Lab, Oxford), The Drummer in The Emperor of Atlantis (Halle and Imperial War Museum), 2nd/3rd Lady in The Magic Flute (Grange Park Opera/ETO), Myrtale in Thais (Grange Park Opera), and Fanny Nelson/Emma Hamilton in the world premiere of Bawden’s A Sailor's Tale which was later recorded for NMC. Flora spent two seasons at the Batignano Festival in Italy and sang La chatte/L'ecureuil in L'enfant et les sortileges with the European Opera Centre in Greece and Cyprus.

Also a regular on the concert platform, Flora has extensive oratorio experience. She has been a soloist several times for the Southbank Sinfonia and Parliament Choir, sung the Angel and Queen in Elijah alongside Sir Thomas Allen and given recitals around the UK, most recently at London’s Garrick Club.

During her training at the RNCM Flora was the winner of the Anne Ziegler Award and Ricordi Prize for Opera and received generous support from the Peter Moores Foundation and the Countess of Munster Musical Trust. She has participated in masterclasses with, amongst others, Della Jones, Jane Eaglen and Malcolm Martineau. Flora is a Samling Foundation scholar and currently studies with Arwel Treharne Morgan.

Future plans include Popova in Walton’s The Bear (Camaratina and Mastersingers UK), a nationwide tour of Maria Stuarda with OperaUpClose, the premiere of Robert Hugill’s opera The Gardeners at Conway Hall, London and cover Wellgunde in Das Rheingold for Longborough Festival Opera.