Cécile Lastchenko mezzo-soprano

          Cécile Lastchenko, Belgian mezzo-soprano, started her vocal studies at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels (class of Marcel Vanaud) where she graduated with Highest Honors (specialized Master degree) and subsequently at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama of London (class of Yvonne Kenny). Between 2014 and 2018, Cécile has been Artist in residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel under the direction of José van Dam and Sophie Koch. In addition to her vocal studies, Cécile obtained her aggregation (Teaching Diploma) with the Highest Distinction at the “Institut de Musique et Pédagogie de Belgique” (IMEP 2020).

          Cécile was a Prize-winner of several international competitions: she obtained the 3rd Prize at the “Jacques Dôme” competition, the 1st Grand prix at « Les nouveaux talents de l’art lyrique » in Belgium, the 1st Prize Young Talent at the international “Bell’Arte” contest in Belgium, the 2nd Prize at the “Concours International Léopold Bellan“ in Paris and she is Laureate of the “International Autumn Symphony Competition” in France in 2018.

Cécile has performed regularly as a soloist at the Opéra Royal de Walonie (Belgium), the Brussel’s Bozar Centre for Fine Arts (Dvorak’s and Rossini’s Stabat Mater), at Flagey Studio 4 (conductor Giampaolo Bisanti), at the “Théâtre Royal du Parc de Bruxelles”, at the Fondation Louis Vuitton (Paris), at the Lisbon Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (under the direction of Carlo Rizzi) and the Barbican Milton Court (London).

             She made her lead role debut as Susanna in Mozart’s “Nozze di Figaro” at the Brussel’s Théatre Royal du Parc in July 2016 and as Ines in Donizetti’s “La Favorite” 2017 production of the “Opéra Royal de Wallonie”. Cécile received high praise from the press called her “a revelation” as Susanna, thanks to “her fiery temperament and her vocal and musical qualities”, whilst her performance of Ines was reported “ …with a sublime presence, she personifies the young and pretty Ines. A very feminine attitude, which persists through a perfectly sounding voice. (www.olyrix.com)
           She also performed the roles of “L’écureuil, la Bergère, le Pâtre et la Chatte” in the production of Ravel's “L’enfant et les Sortilèges” at BOZAR (Brussels) in December 2018.

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the death of composer Claude Debussy, Warner Music published early 2018 a “Debussy” CD box, containing a version for voice and orchestra by André Caplet of two of the “Ariettes oubliées”, which were recorded by Cécile. She is accompanied by the “Music Chamber Orchestra” conducted by Ayrton Desimpelaere.

            In 2021, she will sing Berlioz's “Les Nuits d'été” with the Belgian Ensemble “Kheops”, the mezzo solo part in “La petite Messe solennelle” from Rossini and several dates are booked for the show “Welcome to Cabaret!” that she created and will perform with the pianist Dominique Cornil (Duo “Entre Mère et Fille”)