About

Nicola Montfort is a lyric-dramatic soprano and photographer based in Vienna (Austria) and Cornwall (U.K.). Montfort started training in the fields of piano, saxophone, singing and acting at the age of five but it wasn’t until the age of 18 that she discovered the operatic potential of her voice.
Following years of jazz and musical training, she started her classical voice education with Edmund Brownless at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt before moving to Vienna to work with her teacher and mentor of many years, Professor Sebastian Vittucci (MDW/MuK).
After making the leap from mezzo to soprano, she continued her training with KS Linda Watson before refining her technique with Carol Blaickner-Mayo, who has been her vocal coach and mentor since. During her student years Montfort’s long-term passion for photography started creating job opportunities.
When she was unexpectedly struck down by a virus infection that forced her to take a step back from singing for a year in 2019 – one year before the Covid-19 pandemic hit – she continued her work as a photographer and videographer on a full time basis. Working for brands such as Speedo and Regatta Great Outdoors gave her the opportunity to combine her love for photography and the outdoors - the latter a theme often featured in her fine art photography as well.
She has worked for and has been published in such publications as Good Housekeeping U.K., Cosmopolitan U.K., Marie Claire Australia, Outdoor Swimmer Magazine, The Guardian a.o..

As a singer she has been awarded second prize in the international Mozart competition “Dusek”, has been a finalist in the competition “Solistenpodium” and a semifinalist in the international “Vincerò” competition.
In addition to working with James Pearson as her repertoire coach, she’s participated in masterclasses with Eva Lind, Michael Hampe (director), Stephan E. Wehr (conductor), Marijana Mijanović, Kurt Widmer and Claudia Visca.

Repertoire:

* in preparation