Helen Karikari | William Chapman Nyaho

London-born Helen Karikari is a lyric coloratura soprano who has

continually impressed audiences since her first professional

performance over ten years ago. Following her on-stage professional

debut in 2002, Helen Karikari has worked with a range of renowned

opera tutors and musicians, which has consistently raised her profile

and reputation. The multi-lingual performer has trained with leading

coaches and performed a range of supporting and solo roles, as well as

taking part in recitals with world-class musicians, including pianist,

William Chapman Nyaho.

Helen Karikari took her first few steps in the professional arena when

she embarked on courses at the Flora Opera, which is directly

connected to the Royal Opera House. Set up by well-respected teachers

Nina Walker and Richard Gregson, the education programmes are designed to build on the

performance talents of students to assist them in becoming extremely skilled artists. Around this

time Helen Karikari made her professional debut when she appeared in Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito

singing the part of Servilia. Later in 2002, the soprano also performed as Despina in Cosi fan Tutte,

another Mozart opera.

To further enhance Helen Karikari’s professional abilities, the artist began training professionally

with Margaret Gibbs as part of a City Opera course focusing on performance skills for three years.

Helen Karikari ‘s on-stage abilities won her further high profile roles via City Opera and Opera

Workout and gained her much critical acclaim. Performances included Amahl in Amahl and the Night

Visitors, as well as Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream operatic adaptation by Benjamin Britten.

As well as enriching her skills and performances by studying under well-respected tutors, Helen

Karikari began appearing nationally and internationally via recitals from 2009. National venues

included London's Kensington Palace and St Martin Ludgate, while in the United States Helen

Karikari appeared at Seattle's Frye Museum where she was accompanied by internationally-

renowned pianist William Chapman Nyaho. The US-based pianist has a wealth of training and

qualifications from his long career in musical performance, including degrees from the UK's Oxford

University, Austin's University of Texas and the Conservatoire de Musique de Geneve in Switzerland.

The duo performed as part of the Piano and Voice Recital for Haiti, with donations being given to a

medical charity. In addition to being involved in recitals in the UK and US, Helen Karikari has

performed in Japan and Chile.

Following this, Helen Karikari secured notable roles via the Riverside Opera Company taking part in

its Musical Echoes Gala Concert, where she was backed by a full orchestra. Helen Karikari ‘s soprano

performances continued to further impress critics when she appeared in Gilbert and Sullivan's the

Mikado as Yum-Yum, which has been a much-desired role since the opera was first performed in

1885.

More from Helen KariKari can be found here:

http://about.me/helenkarikari

http://www.flickr.com/photos/helenkarikari1