Eleanor Rastall

Eleanor Rastall studied Human Science at St Anne’s College, Oxford, before moving to London in August 2004 to pursue a singing career. She founded Concert Bites in January 2005 and became a choral scholar at St Martin-in-the-Fields in Sept 2005.

Operatic roles have included: Belinda (Dido and Aeneas, Purcell) with Opera Underground and Clemens Non Papa Consort; Nella (Gianni Schichhi, Puccini) with Hand Made Opera, and Juno (The Fairy Queen, Purcell) with Opera Underground. Roles in opera scenes have included Susannah (Le Nozze di Figaro); Zerlina (Don Giovanni); Angelica (Orlando, Handel); Armida (Rinaldo, Handel); Lulu (Lulu, Berg) Ann Trulove (The Rake’s Progress, Stravinsky) and Héro (Béatrice et Bénédict, Berlioz.

Solo Oratorio performances have included: Messiah, Dixit Dominus and Weichet Nur (BWV 202) with Clemens Non Papa Consort; The Angel in the World Premiere of It was only the Angels who Sang in St Martin-in-the-Field's; Bach’s St John Passion with Hand Made Opera and the St Peter’s Singers; Messiah,, Bach's Easter Oratorio and Mendelssohn's Hear My Prayer for the Orpington and District Free Church Choir; Bach's St Matthew Passion with te Oxford Bach Ensemble; Mozart's Coronation Mass with the Excelsis Choir and Grayshott Festival Orchestra; Pergolesi's Stabat Mater and Mein Herze Schwimmt im Blut in St Magnus the Martyr.

Recital work has included solo recitals as part of the Southwark Cathedral (London), Holywell Music Room and New Chamber Opera (Oxford) recital series, as well as semi-staged opera scenes as part of the Concert Bites recital series in St Magnus the Martyr.

Frances, the Good Shepheardess with Trio Literati

Eleanor sings regularly with Trio Literati in Yorkshire, performing in specially written period performances in stately homes. With Trio Literati, Eleanor has also performed at the Bewdley Festival, in Lichfield and in a joint charitable initiative with Concert Bites: A Victorian Evening at the Yorkshire College of Music.

Aunt Emily's Christmas at Temple Newsam House with Trio Literati

Having gained a Distinction in the Certificate of Continuing Education in Performance Studies (opera) at Birkbeck College, she is now studying for the Certificate of Higher Education.

Future plans include recitals in Haslemere and London (see Diary page for details), understudying opera scenes at the Edinburgh Festival and further performances of Emily’s Christmas with Trio Literati in Leeds.

Eleanor can be contacted at eleanor@concertbites.co.uk.

As Susanna in a scene from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro in St Magnus the Martyr