Omo Bello Musical Journey And Life In Brief
Omo Bello
Omo Bello is an international soprano opera singer with a beautiful, powerful, charming, and gleaming voice, supported by exquisite technique. Obviously, she is one of the talents that rise from the great nation called Nigeria. Her parents are from Edo and Igbo origin in Nigeria.
Absolutely, the operatic singer is well known on the international scene for her devotion to music and singing dexterity. Also, she is one of few of Nigeria’s classical Soprano singers on the international opera scene. She sings in French, English, Italian, German, and Russian. And she cannot deny her love for French romantic operas, bel canto, and Italian music.
Education
Amazingly, Omo Bello has a grounded education in science before switching to music. Of course, she went through five years of training as a biologist and genetics scientist before she moved to France for formal training in singing.
In fact, she has trained up to a master level in singing and performance with a concentration on the voice. After her primary school education, she went to Queen’s College at Yaba in Lagos for her higher school education and finished in 2000.
Thereafter, Omo Bello gained admission to the prestigious University of Lagos, Nigeria where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Cell Biology and Genetics.
However, she left for France to pursue an education in music in 2006. She spent a year at École Normale de Musique de Paris “Alfred Cortot” (ENMP) and obtained a Diploma in music performance, a voice in 2007.
She later studied music and singing at the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSMDP) in the class of Peggy Bouveret. Where she obtained National University Diploma in Professional Music (The Diplôme National Supérieur Professionnel de Musicien DNSPM) in 2009.
DNSPM is a first-cycle tertiary degree and it is associated with a Bachelor of Music (CNSMDP and the Paris Sorbonne University). Thereafter, she continued her studies in the same institution and obtained a Master’s degree in 2011.
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Moreover, she holds the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) School of Music Grade 8 in singing. And in 2006, she obtained a Diploma in Singing Performance from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, London (ABRSM).
In addition, she studied under the tutelage of Teresa Berganza, Jorge Chaminé, Grace Bumbry, and Thomas Quasthoff. And she gained massively from their musical and technical leadership.
Omo Bello Journey into Music
For those of you who don’t know her, Omo Bello started her musical journey by singing in the church choir. Where she was singing solo and doing some oratorio. However, she was drawn to musical instruments in the church when she saw the orchestra performing for the first time.
She was so amazed at how a group of people plays together to make a piece of beautiful and harmonious music. Consequently, she asked her parent that she wanted to play instruments. With her parent’s permission, she learned the violin and then the piano before she devoted her time to singing.
Also, during her university days at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) by singing at MUSON during her spare time. However, as an undergraduate in Cell Biology and Genetics.
Specifically, Omo was doing research into genetics in her homeland, Nigeria, in 2006. During that period, she was discovered as a talent by a French Cultural Associate from France’s embassy in Nigeria.
The organization fell in love with her voice and awarded her a French Government Scholarship. The scholarship paved a way for her to formally train as an opera singer in France.
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Omo Bello finished her studied in Cell Biology and Genetics and put the Diploma in music away to follow her actual passion, which is singing.
She used her scholarship to study at the Paris Conservatory, the college of music and dance. Five years later Omo Bello graduated at the top of her class from the prestigious National Conservatory for Music and Dance. Since that time, Omo Bello has sculptured out a striking reputation on the operatic stage all over the world.
Music and Career
Omo Bello has a varied operatic repertoire and performed in many opera productions and concerts in Paris. Besides, she has performed in other big cities around the world. In fact, she has appeared as a soloist in some of the performance and production.
She makes her concert first public appearance with the Radio France philharmonic orchestra in 2012. The debut recital was of insignificant concert arias of the classical composer Giulio Bajamonti. Specifically, the Spanish conductor Jaime Martin conducted it.
The concert was recorded and broadcasted live on the France Musique radio station. Also, she makes her debut performance in the role of Contessa (Le Nozze di Figaro) at the Verbier Festival Eglise in the year 2012. Thereafter, she went on tour with the Opera de Montpellier to perform the same role in the year 2012/13.
In the year 2012, Omo Bello dazzled the Chinese audiences with a charming performance at the New Year concerts held at the Wuhan Qintai Concert Hall on the 1st of January. She performed celebrated arias by Johann Strauss, Puccini, Gounod, and Bellini and was accompanied by the Wuhan Philharmonic in China.
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She released her debut album Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn by Gustav Mahler in 2013. Omo Bello chose “Lieder” from the songs. Obviously, she reveals an aspect of her expertise switch from laughter to tears.
This she did while passing through satire, melancholy, petulance, and magic. The album was chamber music and she looks forward to recording opera arias with an orchestra in her second album.
In 2013, Omo Bello, took a role to perform the soprano solo part of the sublime “Magnificat in D” by J.S. Bach within 24 hours’ notice. She replaced an ill singer for the role and make her debut at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris.
Amazingly, she was invited again for the 2013/2014 season to the opera house to perform “Egmont” by Beethoven and “Italiana in Algeri” by Rossini.
Also, she makes her debut as Juliette, Roméo et Juliette, by Gounod on tour with Opera de Tours and Jeanne, La Vivandière, by Benjamin Godard at the ground Festival de Radio France et de Montpellier. Omo Bello has performed with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, the Orchestre national de France, the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, and the Orchestre de Paris in concert.
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Never forget home Omo Bello has also been regularly invited to the ‘Operabuja’ festival in Nigeria since 2007. The project is an aspiring one with a mission and vision to build a music conservatory in Nigeria and in doing so promote classical music and lyrical art. She holds this project so dear to her heart as an artist.
Also, she uses her gift to the service of medical research associations. For instance, Hôpital 2000, the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Association. And also the Children of Kedougou giving charity concerts or singing in old people’s homes.
The Bettencourt-Schueller Foundation, the Cziffra Foundation, the Fondation de France, and Les Fonds de Tarrazi are support backbone for her.
Performance
The Power of Omo Bello’s voice has silenced, as well as entertained, audiences around the world. She has vibrant performances in Paris, Japan, Russia, China, Italy, to mention a few. Significantly, her singing always comes to an end with a resounding ovation..
To begin with, Omo Bello participated in a help concert to put together money for the victims of hurricane Karl in September 2010. The hurricane swept through Vera Cruz in Mexico, took lives, and destroyed property. The money realized from the concert were given to the Red Cross.
Furthermore, Omo Bello sang Partisans Song (Le chant des Partisans) accompanied by the Orchestre des Gardiens de la Paix. The performance took place at the 67th anniversary of the liberation of Paris in 2011.
People that present in the event were several war veterans and the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë. In the same year, Omo Bello accompanied by the Ensemble Court-Circuit opens the musical season at the Theatre des Bouffes du Nord, Paris.
The opera singer performed in the French premiere of the musical creation, “Le nubi non scoppiano per il peso”. The music was composed in 2011 by the Italian composer Mauro Lanza.
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Omo Bello was one of the ten soloists that performed for a good cause at the Bonn Opera Gala in 2015. Also in 2018, she performed at the charity concert and dinner dance hosted at Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra, Ghana. The concert was sponsor by The Heritage and Cultural Society of Africa (HACSA) and tagged Xmas Gala Concert.
Omo Bello gave an amazing performance at the French Week 2018 Gala Dinner of the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Eko Hotel and Suites. She was accompanied by the Omo Bello Music Foundation Orchestra.
The performance marked the official creation of the Omo Bello Music Foundation. Likewise, she gave a classic performance at the Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA) 2018 edition held in Lagos. The performance was in association with Nigeria’s pioneer Pay-TV service provider, Multichoice.
She performed the French National Anthem known as La Marseillaise (alternative version) before President Macron. The performance was held at Luxembourg Gardens in Paris at the Ceremony to mark the abolition of Slavery on the 10th of May 2019. The Ensemble from the Orchestre De Le Garde Répubulicaine accompanied her on that glorious day.
Omo Bello performed astonishingly with the pianist Camille Jauvion on the 03 February 2019. The performance took place at the Rossini Hall, 9th arrondissement Town Hall. The concert was held in collaboration with the Paris Mozart Orchestra and tagged “The art of French melody”.
Award and Honour
The Franco-Nigeria classical singer has a number of awards and honours. With her commitment to what she loves doing. Specifically, the power of her voice won her the first prize in the Paris International Opera Competition. She won the French opera prize and also the Public Prize.
In addition, she triumphed and won the first prize in the Luciano Pavarotti Giovani 2010 competition. As a result of that, the Italian press critic, Gianni Gori lauded her as “a talent of Gold”. And similarly, she won the 1st prize in the 2011 Anselmo Colzani international singing competition.
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Furthermore, Omo Bello became a laureate of the Cziffra Foundation in 2011. And also in 2013, she was awarded Italy’s prestigious international Arcad’Oro prize for young artists. Besides, she got a nomination in 2014 for the Lyrical revelation of the year award.
The award by the “Victoires De La Musique” which the French musical award often compares to the USA’s Grammy Award. Specifically, the award acknowledges outstanding significant addition to the regional and worldwide music industry.
The opera powerhouse is a laureate of the Société Générale Musical Funds together with the ADAMI funds. Also, she is a goodwill ambassador of Rotary International.
Equally important, France granted her honorary citizenship because of her dedication to music and benevolent acts. Indeed, on the 26th of April 2012, Omo Bello officially acquired French citizenship and now has dual citizenship of French-Nigerian.
Omo Bello At A Glance
Above all, watch some of her performance by click any of the links below:
Omo Bello At Luciano Pavarotti Competition Awards
Omo Bello sings Exsultate Jubilate, Mozart
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