BIOGRAPHY
Júlia Arquillo is a Spanish Soprano who has recently finished her Master in Opera at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki (Finland), as part of their Opera Ensemble (2021-23 season). This season, she will be part of the International Lied Program at SibA under the wing of Shah Keval. Arquillo has had her studies and career generously supported by Selim Eskelin (2021-2024) and Oopperan Kummit (2023-24). She was also chosen as one of the merit recipients of the Martin Wegelius Foundation (2024). Prior to SibA, the soprano graduated from Stockholm University College of Opera (Sweden) where she studied under Robert Hyman for her Maister in Opera Vocal Performance. She graduated with the highest honours from Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu in Barcelona (Spain), for her Bachelor of Vocal Music under the tutelage of Dolors Aldea. Arquillo has participated in master classes with Graham Johnson, Topi Lehtipuu, Martin Katz, Peter Berne, Andreas Schmidt, Lisette Oropesa, Soile Isokoski, Fiorenza Cedolins, Maria Bayo, Celso Albelo and Dolora Zajik.
This season the soprano and the japanese pianist Saki Kono, will compete in the Sibelius International Duo Competition for Singers and Pianists (Jarvenpää, Finland). Recently Arquillo reached the finals of the "XVIth International Contest Citta di Brescia" (Italy). Last summer she made her debut as a soprano soloist in the Vantaa Baroque Festival, in collaboration with the Ensemble Oblica in “The Night of the Arts”, as well as in the Pellinge Musikdagar Chamber Music Festival. Among her concerts, it is worth mentioning the oratorio A Child of Our Time (M. Tippet) at the Big Hall of Helsinki’s Music Centre as soprano soloist under the baton of Nils Schweckendiek, as well as her debut in the oratorio Stabat Mater by G. B. Pergolesi at the German Church in Helsinki under the baton of Mateusz Gwizdalla. In addition, there is the concert at the Art Gallery "Sala Parés" in Barcelona where she sang several Lieder by A. Schönberg accompanied by Anna Creixells at the piano, as part of the "Afinitats" cycle of young talents of the Conservatori del Liceu.
Her operatic roles include: Drusilla in L'incoronazione di Poppea (C. Monteverdi), Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro (W. A. Mozart), Lucy in The Telephone (G.C. Menotti), Pamina in The The Magic Flute (W.A. Mozart), Gilda in Rigoletto (G. Verdi), Suor Genovieffa in Suor Angelica (G. Puccini), Lisetta in La Gazzetta (G. Rossini) for which she received good reviews (“... Júlia Arquillo sang with charming timbre and smooth colorature…” Jan Granberg for HBL.fi), 1st Fairy in A Midsummer’s Night Dream (F. Mendelssohn) and Despina in Cosí fan tutte (W. A. Mozart).
In the 2025 summer season of the Savonlinna Opera Festival, the soprano will be a member of the professional choir, taking part in Macbeth (G. Verdi), Turandot (G. Puccini), Viimeiset Kiusaukset (L. Kokkonen) and Borís Godunóv (M. Mussorgsky). Last summer she also sung in Don Giovanni (W. A. Mozart), Nabucco (G. Verdi) and Lohengrin (R. Wagner). Arquillo has also been part of “Cor Bruckner Barcelona”, directed by Júlia Sesé, with which she has participated in productions such as Goyescas by E. Granados or Dvořák’s Requiem. She has also participated in National and International choir competitions: Ejea de los Caballeros (Spain) and the International Choral Festival Academy Competition in Petrozavodsk (Russia).