Ioana Constantin Pipelea
Soprano
“Superb singing” - Opera Journal
Biography
Romanian-Irish soprano Ioana Constantin Pipelea praised for her superb singing (Opera Journal), timbre with a beautiful presence and easy high notes (Forum Opera), best singing and charisma (The Irish Times), vocal delight (Edinburgh Music Review), pleasing soprano voice and confident performance, with her attractive upper register (Opera Wire), impeccable technique (Radio Romania Cultural), and highly accomplished performance and coquettish (Seen and Heard International) has performed on international stages like Ireland, Romania, Switzerland, UK, France and Spain.
Award-winning soprano Ioana Constantin-Pipelea is the winner of the Wexford Festival Opera Gerard Arnhold Award (2017), finalist in Verum Solitus Singing Competition (2023) and winner of the Romanian National Opera Cluj prize: main operatic role engagement at the Romanian National Opera Cluj, 2nd Prize Winner at CORSICA LÍRICA International Singing Competition 2022 (ex-aequo) in Corsica, France, 2nd Prize Winner in the Dramatic Competition at Feis Ceoil RDS Ireland, winner of the Gaiety Theatre Dublin Bursary offered by the Royal Irish Academy of Music for an outstanding student. Ioana has collaborated with the Northern Ireland Opera as Associate Artist in 2021-20222 and was a Young Artist in 2013-2014 YAP. The soprano has performed regularly as operatic soloist at the National Opera House in Wexford as part of Wexford Festival Opera: the main role of Colombina in Mascagni’s opera Le Maschere, Michelina in opera Il Bravo* by Mercadante - *winner of the Best Opera Award at The Irish Times Theatre Awards, the role of Fenitchka in opera Risurezzione by Alfano. Other operatic roles performed by soprano Ioana Constantin Pipelea are: Pamina in Die Zauberflöte by Mozart Lismore Opera Festival/ Blackwater Valley Opera Festival, Vixen in The Cunning Little Vixen by Janáček, Cupid in Handel’s Semele, Emmie in Britten’s Albert Herring, Clorinda in Monteverdi’s Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda -operas produced by Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM). The soprano has had the privilege to perform as soloist in operatic and concert performances under the batons of acclaimed conductors like: Francesco Cilluffo, Neil Thomson, John Finucane, Jonathan Brandani, Ben Gernon, Marco Zambelli, David Adams, Andrew Synnott, Timothy Myers, John Butt etc. and has worked with stage directors as: Rosetta Cucchi, Rodula Gaitanou, Stefano Ricci, Dieter Kaegi, Lynne Parker, Thomas de Mallet Burgess, Renaud Doucet etc.
In vocal-symphonic and oratorio Ioana has performed the soprano solo in the Symphony No.4 by Mahler with the Hibernian Orchestra at the National Concert Hall Dublin, the soprano solo in oratorio Messiah by G.F. Handel with the Irish Baroque Orchestra at Christchurch Cathedral Dublin, BBC Radio Ulster live broadcast soloist with the Ulster Orchestra at Ulster Hall Belfast etc. In July 2018 Ioana has made her solo debut with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland (former RTÉ NSO) at the National Concert Hall Dublin in a live broadcast concert presented by Liz Nolan on RTÉ Lyric FM.
Ioana graduated with First Class Honours at the Royal Irish Academy of Music & Trinity College Dublin and DCU of Master of Arts in Vocal Performance, Bachelor of Arts in Music (Vocal) Performance and Diploma in Music Teaching and Performance. At present, Ioana is taking singing lessons with the Italian tenor Antonio Lemmo.
During the Young Artist Programme at the Northern Ireland Opera, soprano Ioana Constantin Pipelea has had the opportunity to participate actively in opera coachings at the Royal Opera House London (Covent Garden) with David Gowland, at the English National Opera with Martin Fitzpatrick and at the National Opera Studio with Katherine Harries.
Ioana has been selected for the final rounds of the International Singing Competition Bordeaux Médoc Lyrique 2018 at the Opéra National de Bordeaux, France and the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition, Dublin in 2019.
Press reviews
Edinburg Music Review: Mascagni- LE MASCHERE- Wexford Festival Opera 2024
"Every second of Ioana Pipelea's Colombina was a vocal delight."
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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬- Mascagni- LE MASCHERE- Wexford Festival Opera 2024
"𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭, 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭-𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚 (…).”
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Forum Opera - Le Magazine du Monde Lyrique
“Ioana Constantin Pipelea (…) bénéficie d’un timbre à la belle présence, aux aigus faciles.”
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OPERAWIRE review- Le Maschere (Mascagni)- Wexford Festival Opera 2024
"Pipelea stood out with her secure, confident performance, with her attractive upper register."
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Bachtrack review
“ Soprano Ioana Constantin Pipelea (Columbina) was a brilliant match as personal assistant(…) At once coquettish, friendly and sincere, she charmed her way round the stage.”
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RTÉ Radio One: Michael Dungan reviews Pietro Mascagni's Le Maschere which opened this year's Wexford Festival Opera
“…very good soprano - the Romanian Ioana Constantin Pipelea”
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Seen and Heard International - Mascagni: Le Maschere- Wexford Festival Opera 2024
“ Ioana Constantin Pipelea gave a highly accomplished performance as the resourceful and coquettish Columbina.“
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The Irish Times: ‘The Cunning Little Vixen’ review
"Soprano loana Pipelea leads charismatically as Vixen. A hugely stimulating interpretation of Janacek's opera." ( The Irish Times) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Radio Romania Cultural
“Ioana Constantin-Pipelea is a soprano with an impeccable technique, doubled by the homogeneity of the registers and the intelligence of phrasing." ( Radio Romania Cultural - Sebastian Craciun) 🇷🇴 Romanian: “ Ioana Constantin Pipelea este o soprana cu o tehnică impecabilă, dublată de omogenitatea registrelor și inteligența frazării. “ (Original Romanian text version)
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Sunday Bussiness Post: ‘The Magic Flute’ by Mozart
“Pamina is played by loana Pipelea who sang the title role impressively in the academy's fine production of Janancek's The Cunning Little Vixen early this year." (Sunday Business Post) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Sunday Bussiness Post mention on the role of Pamina played by soprano Ioana Pipelea at Lismore Opera Festival ( Blackwater Valley Opera Festival)
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Operawire : “Il Bravo” at Wexford Festival Opera
“Ioana Constatin-Piplea showed off her pleasing soprano to good effect.“ (Operawire- “Il Bravo” by Mercadante- Wexford Festival Opera.) 🏆 This opera is the winner of the Best Opera Award at The Irish Times Theatre Awards 2019. 🎉🎉🎉
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Opera Journal
“Superb singing from Ioana Constantin Pipelea”
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Gallery
Schedule
Enjoy operatic excerpts inspired by some of Europe’s most significant literary works. Featuring acclaimed mezzo-soprano Sarah Richmond and soprano Ioana Constantin-Pipelea,this evening offers a rich and varied journey through music shaped by writers such as Pushkin, Goethe, Shakespeare, Dante, and Victor Hugo. “Without music, life would be a blank to me.” Jane Austen, Emma Opera and literature have been connected for centuries. Discover how stories from the page find new life in song at this wonderful presentation curated by Irish National Opera. Spanning a range of styles and voices, the programme moves from intimate reflection to dramatic intensity, showcasing some of the most compelling intersections of literature and opera. This event is anchored by two emotional and substantial letter scenes; Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin (after Pushkin’s novel in verse), and Massenet’s Werther (after Goethe’s The Sorrows of Young Werther), and also features a selection of shorter, well-known arias and ensembles drawn from literary sources across Europe. Mezzo-soprano Sarah Richmond has performed widely with Irish National Opera, including roles in L’Olimpiade, The Magic Flute, and contemporary works such as MARS and Rupture. Her repertoire spans major operatic roles from Hansel in Hansel and Gretel to Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, with appearances at companies including Wexford Festival Opera and Blackwater Valley Opera Festival. A frequent collaborator with the Belfast Ensemble, she has premiered several works by Conor Mitchell. She will make her Royal Ballet and Opera debut in the 2026/27 season and has recorded with the Ulster Orchestra under Jac van Steen. Romanian-Irish soprano Ioana Constantin Pipelea is an award-winning performer praised for her vocal brilliance, expressive presence, and accomplished technique. A regular soloist at Wexford Festival Opera, she has appeared in roles including Colombina in Le Maschere, Michelina in Il Bravo, and Fenitchka in Risurezzione, alongside performances with companies and festivals across Ireland and Europe. Her repertoire also includes Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, the title role in The Cunning Little Vixen, and concert work with ensembles such as the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and the Irish Baroque Orchestra. A graduate of the Royal Irish Academy of Music and Trinity College Dublin, she continues to perform internationally and has received numerous awards, including the Wexford Festival Opera Gerard Arnhold Award. Presented in partnership with Irish National Opera.
Limerick Opera Festival presents International Women’s Day 'Catherine Hayes Gala Concert' with sopranos Ioana Constantin-Pipelea and Ami Hewitt and pianist Irina Dernova. The concert was presented by Lorcan Murray from RTÉ Lyric FM.
𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙖 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝘼𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙤𝙤𝙣𝙨 at Athy Library which will take place every Tuesday from 25th November - 23rd December from 12:00-13:00. I invite you to come and listen to some operatic arias, Christmas songs and musical favourites. I’ll be accompanied on piano by pianist Adam Collins. 🎶🎄 This project is funded by Kildare County Council and Kildare Arts Sevice. Grateful for receiving the Artist Award 2025 from Creative Places Athy. 🙏🏆🎉
Opera in a prologue and three acts by Pietro Mascagni. Libretto by Luigi Illica. Fully-Staged Production. Sung in Italian with English surtitles. Venue O'Reilley Theatre, National Opera House Wexford, Ireland
Gala concert presented by artistic director of Wexford Festival Opera Rosetta Cucchi and RTÉ Lyric FM presenter Marty Whelan.
Opera in a prologue and three acts by Pietro Mascagni. Libretto by Luigi Illica. Fully-Staged Production. Sung in Italian with English surtitles. Venue O'Reilley Theatre, National Opera House Wexford, Ireland
Opera in a prologue and three acts by Pietro Mascagni. Libretto by Luigi Illica. Fully-Staged Production. Sung in Italian with English surtitles. Venue O'Reilley Theatre, National Opera House Wexford, Ireland
Opera in a prologue and three acts by Pietro Mascagni. Libretto by Luigi Illica. Fully-Staged Production. Sung in Italian with English surtitles. Venue O'Reilley Theatre, National Opera House Wexford, Ireland
Wexford Festival Opera presents Opera Gala Concert -Factory Artists 2024
Wexford Festival Opera presents "Friends in Conversation" Ioana Constantin Pipelea- soprano Rebecca Warren- pianist Roberto Rechhia- speaker Christchurch Cathedral Dublin 7PM
Wexford Festival Opera presents " A Taste of Wexford" concert series with artists: Ioana Constantin-Pipelea, soprano Jade Phoenix, soprano Rory Dunne, bariton Conor Prendiville, tenor William Kyle, baritone Dearbhla Collins, piano
Wexford Festival Opera presents " A Taste of Wexford" concert series with artists: Ioana Constantin-Pipelea, soprano Jade Phoenix, soprano Rory Dunne, bariton Conor Prendiville, tenor William Kyle, bariton, Giorgio D'Alonzo, pianist
Italian Cultural Institute and Wexford Festival Opera presents Recital di Arie d'Opera Ioana Constantin-Pipelea, soprano Jade Phoenix, soprano Dearbhla Collins, pianist
Wexford Festival Opera presents " A Taste of Wexford" concert series with artists: Rosetta Cucchi, Artistic Director of Wexford Festival Opera Ioana Constantin-Pipelea, soprano Jade Phoenix, soprano Rory Dunne, bariton Conor Prendiville, tenor William Kyle, bariton, Giorgio D'Alonzo, pianist
Wexford Festival Opera presents " A Taste of Wexford" concert series with artists: Rosetta Cucchi, Artistic Director of Wexford Festival Opera Ioana Constantin-Pipelea, soprano Jade Phoenix, soprano Rory Dunne, bariton Conor Prendiville, tenor William Kyle, bariton, Giorgio D'Alonzo, pianist