Leila is a mezzo-soprano of English and Italian origin. She completed her training on the Royal Academy Opera Programme as well as completing her Master’s degree at the Royal Academy of Music under the tutelage of Sarah Walker, Nuccia Focile and Joseph Middleton. Leila was kindly supported by the Charles Mackerras Opera Scholarship, PF Charitable Trust Award, the Patricia Kris Wolfe Prize and is currently supported by the Josephine Baker Trust and Opera Prelude, with whom she is a Young Artist.

This September, Leila will debut the role of Dorabella in Mozart’s Così fan tutte in the Teatro Da Ponte in Vittorio Veneto, Italy at the Da Ponte Opera Festival with MusicaLink. Prior to this, in July, Leila will perform the role of Dido in Somerset Opera’s production of Dido and Aeneas at the Great Hall in the Museum of Somerset.

Leila joined Garsington Opera last summer for the third time, as an Alvarez Young Artist, covering the role of Rosina in Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia as well as performing in the chorus of Smenata's The Bartered Bride. The previous season with Garsington Opera, Leila performed in the chorus of Mozart’s Così fan tutte and Dvorjak’s Rusalka, as well covering the role of the 2nd Nymph in Rusalka. In 2021, Leila performed in the chorus of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin and Rossini’s Le Comte Ory, in which she also sung the role of Mezzo Corypheè. 

After 2 years of postponement, in April 2022, Leila performed the role of Irene, with Cambridge Handel Opera Company for their production of Handel's Tamerlano in Cambridge at the Leys Great Hall. In October 2021, Leila performed the role of Romeo in Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi, with Wexford Festival Opera and the Wexford Factory Young Artists, as well as performing in the chorus for the Festival.

Leila spent the beginning of 2020 working with Scottish Opera in the chorus for their production of John Adams' Nixon in China. In 2019, after graduating from the Royal Academy of Music, Leila performed the role of La Ciesca in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi with LunchBreak Opera. During her time with the Royal Academy Opera, Leila performed the roles of Marta in Tchaikovsky's Iolanta, Juno in Handel's Semele, Véronique in Bizet’s Le Docteur Miracle, Older Woman in Jonathan Dove’s Flight, and Medea in Handel’s Teseo at the London Handel Festival in conjunction with the Royal Academy Opera. In the RAO Opera Scenes she has sung the roles of Dorabella in Così fan tutte and Idamante in Idomeneo.

Leila first appeared at the Grange Festival in the summer of 2017, both as the cover of the title role and in the chorus of Bizet’s Carmen, and in the chorus for a concert performance of Granados’s Goyescas. In the summer of 2019 Leila completed another season with the Grange Festival chorus in Verdi's Falstaff and Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro where she appeared also as one of the Bridesmaids.

Other roles in scenes include Tisbe (La Cenerentola), Dorabella (Cosi fan tutte), Sorceress (Dido and Aeneas), Judith (Bluebeard’s Castle), Lucretia (The Rape of Lucretia), Mistress Quickly (Sir John in Love) and Minskwoman (Flight).

Leila is a Young Artist with London-based charity Opera Prelude. She is grateful for their continuous support and has benefited from several performance opportunities and masterclasses provided by Opera Prelude. Masterclasses include: Sir Thomas Allen and Della Jones. In March 2021, Leila Performed as the Alto Soloist in her first Beethoven 9th Symphony with other Opera Prelude soloists and the Henley Symphony Orchestra. 

  • "Leila Zanette certainly made the most of her opportunities, singing with vibrant tones and a bravura sense of dramatic emotion she created a stormy character who really did seem to breathe fire"

    Planet Hugill

  • "Zanette's account of Medea's final aria, 'Moriro' with its cascades of notes… was both moving and thrilling, and her final accompagnato was a tour de force. Perhaps because she is of Italian heritage, alone of the cast Zanette really tried to make something of the words."

    Planet Hugill

  • "Leila Zanette is strongly cast as Marta, Iolanta's companion, all down to her lovely mezzo and impressive stage persona."

    Peter Reed: Classical Source

  • "...Leila Zanette gave a dramatically commanding performance, ending with her storming down the nave of St George’s to confront the other characters in her last-ditch attempt to thwart Teseo and Agilea’s partnership."

    Curtis Rogers: Classical Source

  • "Leila Zanette as Medea who also produced a glistening sound in the upper register that nonetheless still hinted at the character's malevolence."

    Sam Smith: MusicOMH

  • "Leila Zanette was a scary barn storming Medea - wonderful!"

    Brian Dickie

  • “Leila Zanette's Older Woman was funny in her self-delusion about her holiday romance though we always laughed with her rather than at her.”

    Planet Hugill