Joanna Harries

Praised for her “stylish” singing (Opera Magazine) and the “emotional force” (The Times) of her performances, British/New Zealand mezzo-soprano Joanna Harries was a young artist at the National Opera Studio in London and made recent debuts with the with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Cadogan Hall (Mozart’s Requiem), the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican (Paul Rissmann’s Through the Looking Glass) and Opera Rara and the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Queen Elizabeth Hall (Finnochini / Offenbach’s La Princesse de Trébizonde).

She begins the 25/26 season with the launch of her debut song album Letters from Scandinavia with pianist Sholto Kynoch, appearances at Oxford International Song Festival and Brighton Early Music Festival, and recording and performing Suzy/Lolette in Puccini’s La Rondine for Opera Rara, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and BBC Singers under conductor Carlo Rizzi at the Barbican.

Recent opera roles include Medoro/Orlando at Buxton International Festival, Prince & Stepmother/Cinderella Opera North Little Listeners, Lucinda/La forza dell’amor paterno The Barber Opera, Contessa Ceprano/Rigoletto Opera Holland Park, Deborah/ Robinson Crusoe West Green House Opera and Tweedle-Dee/Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland IF Opera. As a National Opera Studio young artist, Joanna performed scenes as Cherubino, Idamante, Ruggiero, Le Prince Charmant and Cenerentola with the orchestras of English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, Opera North and Scottish Opera.

A keen recitalist, Joanna is a City Music Foundation artist 2024-26 and a Making Music Recommended Artist 2025. She was previously a Britten Pears Young Artist, a Handel House Talent artist and an Opera Prelude Young Artist. Recent performances include Nightingale at St Martins in the Field with Jong Sun Woo, Scandinavian song at the Elgar Concert Hall, Birmingham with Sholto Kynoch, a lunchtime recital at the Royal Opera House with Fran Hills, Russian song at Pushkin House with Thomas Ang, and English song at Snape Maltings as a Britten Pears Young Artist alongside Sarah Connolly and Joseph Middleton.

Her discography includes recordings with Opera Rara (La Princesse de Trébizonde) and the London Symphony Orchestra (Wonderland). Her debut song album Letters from Scandinavia with pianist Sholto Kynoch is released in 2025 with CRD Records and her second album Nightingale with pianist Jong Sun Woo will be released in 2026.

Joanna is co-founder with Jess Dandy of SongPath, bringing together music, nature and mental health in specially curated outdoor events. Since 2019 they have worked with mental health organisations across the UK and festivals including Beverley Early Music Festival, the London Handel Festival, Oxford International Song Festival, Leeds Lieder and Ulverston International Music Festival.

www.joannaharries.com

Updated September 2025