We are delighted to once again bring to you our musician of the month for August 2019 – Omo Bello.

Unlike the previous edition where we had an interview, we will be giving you insights and thoughts about the musician of the month – Omo Bello. It is our hopes that this motivates and inspires you. Enjoy.

BIOGRAPHY

Omo Bello is a Nigerian-born French classical and opera singer. She is a Cell Biology and Genetics graduate who hails from Edo State, Nigeria. After the completion of her studies in Nigeria, the French Nigerian soprano singer won a scholarship to pursue music at the Paris Conservatoire. As expected, she embraced the opportunity.

Omo Bello entirely devoted herself to music, studying at the Conservatoire de Paris – CNSMDP. She holds a diploma in singing performance from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, London (ABRSM) and has gained enormously from the musical and technical counsels of Jorge Chaminé, Teresa Berganza, Thomas Quasthoff and Grace Bumbry.

In 2014, Omo Bello was nominated for the “Victoires de la musique classique” awards in the “Lyrical Revelation of the Year” category (the “French Grammy’s”), and she triumphed at the Paris International Opera Competition, winning the 1st prize, the French opera prize and the Public prize. In 2013, she was awarded with Italy’s prestigious international Arca d’Oro prize. In Italy, she also won the 1st Prize in the Luciano Pavarotti Giovani 2010 competition, and also won the 1st prize in the 2011 Anselmo Colzani international singing competition.

Omo Bello is without a doubt, Nigeria’s most famous export in the classicals/opera genre of music. The likes of Agatha Onyinye Ibeazor, Francesca Chiejina and Abiodun Koya are also notable Opera/Classical exports in Nigeria.

Since 2006, she had her first successes in Toulouse with the Mozart repertoire, taking on the role of Barbarina (Le Nozze di Figaro), under the artistic direction of Gabriel Bacquier. She then sang the roles of Solis (Magdalena) by Villa-Lobos at the Theatre du Châtelet, La Jeune Femme d’Hara Kei (Soie) by Yves Prin, for its world premiere at the Théâtre du Rond Point, as well as Female Chorus (The Rape of Lucretia) by Britten with the CNSMDP, Silvia (L’Isola Disabitata) by Manuel Garcia at the Auditorium of the CNR of Nice and Eurydice (Orphée et Eurydice) by Gluck at the St Petersburg state theatre for opera and ballet.

Omo Bello made her debut in the role of Contessa (Le Nozze di Figaro) at the 2012 Verbier Festival, and then went on tour with the Opera de Montpellier, performing the same role in 2012/13. She made her debut as Juliette (Roméo et Juliette) by Gounod on tour with Opera de Tours and Jeanne (La Vivandière) by Benjamin Godard at the Festival de Radio France et de Montpellier. In concert, she performs with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, the Orchestre national de France, the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, and the Orchestre de Paris. She sings regularly as a soloist in numerous concerts and recitals in France and abroad.

OMO BELLO’S REPERTOIRES

The talented singer has an impressive CV which we cannot exhaust at the moment. Find below a few of her repertoires;

From 2007 to 2011, Omo Bello took part in the Operabuja festival in Nigeria. This involves an ambitious project with a vision to build a music conservatory in Nigeria and in doing so, promote classical music and the lyrical art, a project she holds dear to her heart as an artiste.

ALBUMS, RADIO AND TOURS

Her debut album, Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn was released in 2013 and is distributed by highly reputed Harmonia Mundi. In live concert, Omo Bello recorded famous arias at the “Grand Christmas Concert”, with the Radio France philharmonic orchestra for a live TV broadcast on France 3 to 2 million viewers on 25th December 2013. In 2013/14 she made her debut as Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) by Mozart at the Opéra de Tours and Opéra de Reims, as well as Elvira (L’Italiana in Algeri) by Rossini at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées. She also took on the role of Princess Elsbeth (Fantasio) by Offenbach at the Festival de Radio France et de Montpellier. In 2014/15, she went on a European recital tour, with an Italian program “Belcanto: yesterdays and nowadays”, during which she sang in the most prestigious concert halls in Europe: the Barbican Centre, London the Musikverein, Vienna, the Festspielhaus, Baden Baden, the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam etc…). In 2015/16, she sang The Creation by Haydn with the Palais Royal orchestra, and took part in the Sound Unbound Festival at the Barbican Centre, London, giving a recital of French melodies.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

1. 2011 Paris – Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP).

Masters Degree

2. 2009 Paris – Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP).

3. Diplôme National Supérieur Professionnel de Musicien (DNSPM) – Bachelor’s degree,with disctinction

4. 2007 (Paris – École Normale de Musique de Paris) Diplôme d’Exécution with a unanimous vote of the jury.

5. 2006 London – The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM). Singing Performance Diploma

6. 2005-2006 Toulouse – Centre d’Etudes Supérieures de Musique et de Danse (CESMD). Diplôme d’Exécution with a unanimous vote of the jury.

7. 2005 Lagos – University OF Lagos. Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Cell Biology and Genetics (with honours)

8. 2003 Lagos – The Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) School of Music. Grade 8 Singing (with Distinction)

9. Omo Bello is a goodwill ambassador of Rotary International.

10. May 2019 France – Omo Bello sang an alternative version of the French anthem in front of the French President Emmanuel Macron to mark abolition of slavery in France.

We sincerely hope the story of our musician of the month, Omo Bello has inspired you. Drop your comments below.

Music Director

I am Music Estate’s Music Director