Ruby Philogene-Doran

Biography

In her career Ruby Philogene has sung in opera, oratorio and recitals throughout Europe and the USA including the Royal Opera House, Deutsche Oper Berlin, La Monnaie Royal Opera Brussels, English National Opera and San Francisco Symphony. She has also worked with many of the world’s leading conductors including Antonio Pappano, Riccardo Muti, Michael Tilson Thomas, Christoph Von Dohnanyi, and the late Sir Colin Davies. She has sung alongside fellow artists Bryn Terfel, Ian Bostridge and Jose Van Dam.

London born Ms Philogene studied at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama followed by her Masters at the Curtis Institute Philadelphia, USA. Subsequently, Ms Philogene won First Prize at the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier competition and was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) on the Queens Birthday Honours list for her services to music.

Opera roles have included La Duchessa in Verdi's Louisa Miller and the Page in Strauss's Salome both at the Royal Opera House (London), Rosina in Rossini's Barber of Seville at Garsington Opera (UK), Maddalena in Verdi’s Rigoletto at the Opera Company of Philadelphia (USA), Smeraldina in Prokofiev’s The Love Of Three Oranges with both the Opera de Lyon and the San Francisco Opera, and Hippolyta in Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by David McVicar at La Monnaie Brussels (also as Hermia recorded with Sir Colin Davis for Phillips).

Ruby’s contemporary repertoire has included the role of Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer by John Adams in Rotterdam, The Spanish Lady in Bernstein’s Candide with the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Calliope in Pierre Bartholome's Oedipe Sur La Route with Jose van Dam (Theatre de la Monnaie), and Deborah Warner’s production of Janacek's ‘The diary of one who vanished’ with Ian Bostridge and Julius Drake in a translation commissioned from the poet Seamus Heaney.

Recent work has included Benjamin Britten’s Phaedra in a site specific production directed by Sophie Hunter for the Happy Days Beckett Festival in Ireland.  Upcoming work includes Gustav Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder staged by director Netia Jones. 

Ruby’s recordings include: Solo disc ‘Steal Away’ (EMI), Paulus by Felix Mendelsohn with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, title role of Arianna by Alexander Goehr, and the complete folk songs of Beethoven (EMI) singing alongside Dame Felicity Lott, Sir Thomas Allen with accompanist Malcolm Martineau. DVD video recording as the Page in Salome at The Royal Opera House, London.

In recent years in Paris and Australia, Ruby gained a reputation as a transformational teacher of the voice, for all ages and learning levels.

Ms Philogene is currently a Professor of Voice at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.