‘Sheer alchemy’

Scottish Arts Club

Praised for her ‘sparkling voice’ and ‘beautifully rounded tone’ Scottish soprano Juliet Montgomery graduated with a BMus(hons), PGDip and MMus from the Royal Northern College of Music.  

Juliet’s 2024/2025 season included performing the role of Frasquita Carmen (Opera on Location), covering the role of Annina La Traviata (Opera Holland Park) and being Swing in The Merry Widow (Scottish Opera/ Opera Holland Park/ D’Oyly Carte Opera Company).   She also performed in the Ensemble of Toby Hession and Emma Jenkin’s newly commissioned opera A Matter of Misconduct! (Scottish Opera/ Opera Holland Park/ D’Oyly Carte Opera Company) and sang in the Chorus of Lucia di Lammermoor (Opera Holland Park) and in Orpheus & Eurydice at the Edinburgh International Festival (Scottish Opera/ Opera Australia).

Since graduating Juliet has enjoyed a varied career performing with opera companies throughout the UK.  She was a Buxton International Festival Young Artist in 2017 and appeared in their production of MacBeth before becoming a member of the National Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company where she performed for six seasons.  During this time Juliet also enjoyed singing in the chorus of Scottish Opera (Edgar) and Opera North (Aida) as well as her first contract with Opera Holland Park (Carmen).  She then joined Glyndebourne in 2022 for their Autumn/Winter tour performing in La Bohème and concert performances of Mozart’s Requiem.  2023/2024 saw Juliet return to both Scottish Opera (Carmen) and Opera Holland Park (La Bohème) before appearing in Les Noces with English National Ballet at Sadler’s Wells in collaboration with Opera Holland Park.

Other operatic roles include Susanna Le Nozze di Figaro (Opera on Location), Santuzza Cavalleria Rusticana, Elsie The Golden Legend (Occento Choir), Mother Amahl & the Night Visitors, Alison The Wandering Scholar (Northern Opera), Fiametta The Gondoliers, Peep Bo The Mikado, Zorah Ruddigore, Salata Utopia Ltd. (National G&S Opera Company), Countess A Dinner Engagement, Una Novizia Suor Angelica (Manchester Opera Ensemble), Valencienne The Merry Widow, Adalgisa Norma (Preston Opera), Erste Dame Die Zauberflöte (RNCM Spotlight), Clara La Vie Parisienne and Susan Company (RNCM).

Juliet is also a regular concert soloist and performs with choirs and orchestras nationwide.  Her repertoire includes Bach’s Magnificat, Brahm’s Requiem, Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri, Elgar’s Coronation Ode, Fauré’s Requiem, Goodall’s Eternal Light, Handel’s Dixit Dominus, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, Haydn’s Missa Sancti Nicolai, Haydn’s Nelson Mass, Haydn’s Paukenmesse, Mendelssohn’s Elijah,  Mozart’s C Minor Mass, Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Mozart’s Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Poulenc’s Gloria, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, Schubert’s Mass in G, Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, Verdi’s Quattro Pezzi and Vivaldi’s Gloria.

Other concert highlights include performing with the Bulava chorus at the Notre Dame in Paris and the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Kyiv, singing Mahler’s Rückert Lieder with orchestra at the Howard Assembly Room in Leeds and appearing as soprano soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Bolton Symphony Orchestra, BCMS Choral and the BMS Singers.  Most recently Juliet joined Blackpool Symphony Orchestra as the soprano soloist in Mahler’s 4th Symphony.

A keen recitalist, Juliet regularly performs concerts and opera galas with her husband, baritone Aidan Edwards.  Their concert series An Evening of Song enjoyed annual showcases at the Edinburgh International Festival for many years and now can be seen at several venues throughout Scotland and the north of England.  Juliet and Aidan have also collaborated for many outreach projects, including educational workshops in schools and charity events, as well as performing for Theatrical Adventures on several of their European river cruises.

Juliet is currently preparing for her first performances with Opera Caledonia (December 2025) and for an exciting role debut next year (to be announced soon!)