VOCAL COACH
Coaching Linda Richardson on Anna Bolena for Longborough Festival Opera
Coaching
Janet has been a busy vocal coach and repetiteur for many leading opera companies in the UK including Welsh National Opera, English Touring Opera, Longborough Festival Opera, Dorset Opera Festival and overseas work with Wexford Festival Opera, Islenska Opera (Iceland), Opera Africa and Gärtnerplatz Munich. In 2024, Janet was vocal coach for Saudi Arabia’s newly commissioned opera ‘Zarqa’ by Lee Bradshaw.
She prepares many professional artists for operatic roles for major Opera Houses throughout Europe, including La Scala, Frankfurt, ENO and Munich Gärtnerplatz. She has a good command of languages and style with a particular interest in the bel canto repertoire.
“As an international opera singer I rely on my vocal coach to prepare me for my job in many different ways. Not only does the voice have to be technically secure but also the styles and genre of music need to taught with precision and an ear for detail. Languages have to be accurate, note values precise and perfect pitch- whatever stage you are at in your career those three things are vital. The final thing is trust. I trust Janet Haney- why? I can walk into any music call anywhere in the world and know i have done my preparation in tandem with Janet- I can be confident in my vocal and textural delivery- that is trust in my vocal coach…”
Graeme Danby (Bass Baritone, Covent Garden, English National Opera, Israeli Opera, Liceu Barcelona)
Conservatoire coaching
Janet has worked at most of the UK’s leading Conservatoires. She has been Music Director for opera scenes at Guildhall School of Music and Drama 2018-19, and previously at Birmingham Conservatoire 2010-15. She is also a repertoire coach for the Vocal Deparment at the Royal Academy of Music. From Autumn 2024, Janet will be coaching for the Royal Academy Opera.
As of 2023 Janet is principal visiting Coach for University Cape Town. Cape Town-born Smelo Mahlangu has been studying with her whilst at the National Opera Studio in London and has been accepted into the highly prestigious Vienna Volksoper.
Opera scenes at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Coaching on Young Artists’ Programmes
Janet is a regular guest coach at Islenska Operan (La Boheme, Turn of the Screw, Don Giovanni, Hansel and Gretel). She is also a visiting coach at Songskolinn i Reykjavik and Songskoli Sigurdar Demetz. She also coaches for the BYO’s Serena Fenwick Programme.
Janet has been Music Director for several short works at Wexford Festival Opera (The Sleeping Queen, Hansel and Gretel, Trial by Jury).
“Janet helped me significantly to improve my breathing and support and sing with greater ease, with more resonance and projection in my voice. I’ve never met a coach that can help a singer so much musically and vocally. Janet taught me much about the Italian bel canto style, which also led to my engagement at La Scala. I deeply recommend Janet to anyone who wants to learn to sing with more potential and greater ease.”
Liviu Holender, Opera Frankfurt, Opera Riga, La Scala, Salzburg Festival
Jona Kolbrunardottir and Arnheidur Eriksdottir as Hansel and Gretel in Reykjavik.
With Jeremy Silver, head of opera at UCT
With Molly Dzangare, student at UCT
With Alex Tsilogiannis
With Adriana Gonzales and Liviu Holender in Saltzburg
Coaching Samuel Stopford