Biography
Training
Sophie began her artistic career by studying Dramatic Art with M.Mansouri at the Ecole Nationale du Val Maubuée in Noisiel (up to 3rd cycle) and by studying the Celtic harp in the oral tradition with D.Donon.
Thanks to a grant from the European Union, she was able to study in London, graduating with honors in June 2006 from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London in L.Sarti’s singing class. Sophie will do an Erasmus exchange in 2004 at the Universität der Künste in Berlin in A.Eggers’s class. On her return to Paris, Sophie joined U. Reineman’s Perfectionnement class on Lied interpretation. She then continued her vocal training with C.Mathias and perfected her skills with L.Sarrazin.
An international career
Sophie performs in Europe, Asia and the United States. Her knowledge of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and contemporary repertoires stems from her experience, talent and open-mindedness. She is equally at home in oratorios such as the Cantata BWV 125 by J.S.Bach for viola or Petite Messe Solennelle by G.Rossini as well as in the operatic repertoire, performing the roles of Orfeo in the Orfeo ed Euridice by C.W.Gluck in a production by the UDK in Berlin, and Penelope in Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria by C.Monteverdi at the GSMD in London. She performed Marcellina in W.A.Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro conducted by A.du Closel with the Romanian Radio Orchestra at Château de Rochambeau in 2008. In 2010, she performed the title role in J.Offenbach’s La Grande Duchesse de Gérolstein in Paris. In spring 2015, she sang the role of Candelas in M.D.Falla’s El Amor Brujo with the Orchestre de Mayenne under the direction of M.Levy-Thiebault, then the following year, she played Candelas again at the Théâtre de Vitry sur Seine, conducted by J.G. Novales.
In 2016, she played the roles of Jacqueline in Le Médecin malgré him by C.Gounod à Saint-Etienne Opera House under the direction of L.Touche and staged by A.Terrat, Carmen in Carmen by G.Bizet to the Saïgon Opera House in Vietnam in September 2015, directed by P.Souillot, then the title role in La Périchole by J.Offenbach. Then she was invited back to sing the title role of Frédégonde by C.Saint-Saëns at the Saïgon Opera House in October 2017. She then sang excerpts from Carmen with the IOSO orchestra at the Langtang festival on Reunion Island. She then returned to the role of Carmen in the show Carmen Flamenco with the Influenscènes and Flamenco Vivo companies, touring various national theaters (Palais des Congrès du Mans, Avignon Festival, Théâtre de Thalie, Théâtres de Saint-Lo, Liffré, Abbaye de Sylvanes, etc.).
In August 2023, she sang the role of Ulrica for the first time in G.Verdi’s opera Un Ballo in Maschera at theTeatro Mancinelli in Orvieto, Italy, directed by S.Torboli and staged by G.Ravazzi.
In March 2024, she will perform E.Chausson‘s La chanson Perpétuelle in concert with the Ars Nova ensemble, followed by J.Brahms’s Rapsodie pour alto and F.Schubert‘s Ständchen and other lieder at the Histoires de Chœurs festival in June. In December 2024, she will sing again Carmen in Carmen Flamenco show in Argentan theater.
Her interest in creation
With a keen interest in contemporary repertoire and creation, she works with numerous composers. She created the roles of Galathée and Bergère in the world premiere of G.Pesson’s opera Pastorale, conducted by J.Y.Ossonce and directed by P.Sorin at the Théâtre du Châtelet in June 2009. In 2011, she sang Berio’s Folksongs and Berberian’s Stripsody as part of the Festival Musique Libre.
She was invited to perform the solo part in Re-Walden, a creation by J.F.Peyret and A.Markeas, at EMPAC-Harvard University in New York in March 2012. In April 2012, alongside J.Anderson and S.Jo, she sang the role of Nancy Tang in J.Adams’s Nixon in China at the Théâtre du Châtelet, directed by A.Briger and staged by C.Chi-zheng. Then, in July 2012, she was invited by the ensemble Le Balcon, directed by M.Pascal to perform the role of Alejandra in the world premiere of the opera L’Enfer Musical by M.Suarez-Cifuentes, conducted by M.Pascal. In spring 2015, she created the role of Philandre in B.Attahir’s opera Pastorale d’Issy.
A member of the Ensemble Links since its inception, directed by R.Durupt, she sings in works by S. Reich (Music for 18, Drumming, Music for Mallet instruments, voices & organ…), touring a number of national venues : Philharmonie de Paris, Ferme du Buisson, Maison de Musique de Nanterre, Arsenal de Metz, Théâtre de l’Archipel de Perpignan, scène nationale d’Evreux-Louviers, Opéra de Massy, Nuits sonores à Lyon, Opéra de Rouen, Channel in Calais, Folles Journées in Nantes, Wiesbaden Opera, Staatstheater Darmstadt, Lux in Valence, Filature in Mulhouse, Theater Basel, Freiburg Theater, Radio France, Lieu Unique in Nantes, etc…
In March 2023, she premiered her own work Solstice – Chant à la lune at the Philharmonie de Paris, which commissioned her for the first time with the Multilatérale ensemble. Named Laureate of the Territoires en création program, the Ars Nova ensemble commissioned her to create Sur l’étoffe de mon âme, which she will premiere with them at the Electrosession festival in March 2024.
Early music
During her studies at GSMD London, she developed a passion for early music and trained with E.Kirkby, P.Esswood and G.Lesne. She has set up an ensemble called L’oeil ou la lune, with which she performs programs of English music (J.Dowland, H.Purcell and G.F.Haendel) and early 17th-century Italian music (G.Caccini, C.Monteverdi, M.Marini, B.Strozzi, L.Rossi).
In November 2012, she sang with Sagittarius ensemble conducted by M.Laplénie in a program featuring J.H.Schein, H.Schütz and G.P.Telemann in Bordeaux. Then Sophie sings in a series of concerts a program of amorous and furious Baroque arias called Métamorphoses with the La Fidelissima ensemble conducted by M.Maldonado at the Festival Nits d’Eus in August 2018. In September 2018, in duo with M.Horvat, Faenza ensemble, she will perform a program of 17th-century Italian songs, accompanying her singing on her harp as part of the Heritage Days at Sarlat-la-Canéda Cathedral and the Royal Abbey of Saint-Jean d’Angély. In June 2019, she has been invited to sing and play on harp a program of Sephardic melodies with Le Baroque Nomade ensemble, conducted by J.C.Frisch, at the La Folia festival in Rougemont, Switzerland, then solo at the Harfentreffen festival in Lauterbach, Germany.
Entertainment entrepreneur
living
Artistic director of the Des Lieux & Des Êtres company, Sophie creates shows based around the voice, combining different aesthetics, repertoire and creation.
In 2013, the company was noticed at the Avignon Festival for their creation of Je suis comme je suis, a lyrical show based on the melodies of K.Weill and J.Prévert/J.Kosma.
Sophie creates a program of Sephardic melodies that she arranges on the harp: De Femmes en Femmes, as part of the duo Racines that she forms with percussionist A. Morineau. This program has been performed at numerous venues and festivals, including the Saint-Gilles Festival, the Dinan International Harp Festival, the Arles Harp Festival, the Carpentras Jewish Music Festival, the Andalou Festival in Avignon, the Mini Festival des Musiques Juives en Alsace, the Nits d’Eus Festival in Perpignan, the Murs à Pêches Festival, the Rares Talents Festival in Montreuil, Les Musicales de Montreuil, the Sarlat Cultural Center, Les Musicales de Gourdon, Domme, etc…
In November 2021, Sophie releases a new album of her Sephardic melodies program: De Femmes en Femmes, distributed by Absilone.
In 2019, she is creating a musical show with the circus artist L.Lastella: En-Vie, in collaboration with the Espace Périphérique de la Villette-Paris, the Plus Petit Cirque du Monde and the Ferme du Buisson – Scène Nationale, with scenography by C.Grévy.
In 2023, she created a solo program Le feu & l’eau, presenting songs by women composers across the ages and aesthetics, which she accompanies on harp. She has been invited to the Musicales de Sarlat, Bussy-Saint-Martin, Les Journées du Matrimoine de Montreuil, and to La Coruña in Spain as part of the OFF Womex. In May 2024, she was invited to the Harfentreffen festival in Freusburg Castle, Germany.