Cathy Bell - Mezzo Soprano

Cathy Bell studied English and Medieval Literature at Cambridge and singing at Birmingham Conservatoire. She is a former CREAR Scholar and was a member of Handel House Talent 2014-15. Baroque music continues to be a specialism, with recent solo debuts at the Valletta International Baroque Festival as Venus (Pepusch Venus and Adonis); and as Second Witch (Dido and Aeneas) for both the Academy of Ancient Music and Barokksolistene, Norway.

Cathy particularly enjoys her work as a concert soloist. Highlights include Scarlatti Salve regina at Wells Cathedral; Mendelssohn Elijah at the Royal Festival Hall; Handel Messiah at Cadogan Hall and Nottingham Royal Concert Hall; and Rachmaninov Vespers at St Magnus International Festival in Orkney.

Opera roles include Carmen for Barefoot Opera; Russian Nanny (Death in Venice) for Garsington; Third Lady/Third Boy (Die Zauberflöte) for Diva Opera and the Palestine Mozart Festival; and roles in contemporary operas for Tête-à-Tête, Grimeborn and WNO MAX. Chorus contracts include Scottish Opera, Garsington, Grange Park, Bergen Nasjonale Opera and festivals in Aix-en-Provence and Beijing.

Cathy works regularly with choirs and consorts including the BBC Singers, Sonoro, Polyphony and EXAUDI. She lives in London with her husband Jon Stainsby, also a singer, and their two young daughters.