Elizabeth Laurence
| Elizabeth Laurence | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Elizabeth Jane Scott 22 November 1949 Harrogate, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Classical mezzo-soprano |
| Years active | From 1985 |
Elizabeth Laurence (born Elizabeth Jane Scott, 22 November 1949, Harrogate, England)[1] is a classical mezzo-soprano singer. She is known especially for her performances of 20th century operatic repertoire, and has created several operatic roles.
Biography
She studied at Trinity College of Music, London.
In 1986, with Glyndebourne Touring Opera, she performed as Mallika (in Delibes' Lakmé), Jocasta (Stravinsky's Oedipus rex) and Nancy (Britten's Albert Herring). In 1987, with the same company, she created the role of Anna Arild in Nigel Osborne's opera The Electrification of the Soviet Union. In 1989, at the Paris Opéra, she created the part of Behemoth in York Höller's opera Der Meister und Margarita. In 1989, she made her Covent Garden debut as the Mezzo-soprano in the British première of Luciano Berio's Un re in ascolto. In 1991, at Covent Garden, she created the part of Lady de Hautdesert in Harrison Birtwistle's opera Gawain.
Her other operatic roles have included Cherubino (Mozart, Le nozze di Figaro), Erda (Wagner, Der Ring des Nibelungen), Judith (Béla Bartók, Duke Bluebeard's Castle), Concepción (Ravel, L'heure espagnole) and Carolina (Henze, Elegy for Young Lovers).[1]
She has appeared several times at the BBC Proms. In 1986 she sang the solo part in the Proms premiere of Luciano Berio's Epifanie [2] In 1987, she took the role of the Wood Dove in Schoenberg's Gurre-Lieder in a performance directed by Pierre Boulez.[3] In 1988, she sang in Debussy's cantata La damoiselle élue. That rarely-performed work specifies two female soloists; Ann Murray had been scheduled to be one, but was indisposed; and Laurence sang both parts at short notice.[4][5]
She has been described as having a "warm-toned, flexible voice and handsome appearance".[1]
Selected discography
- 1985 – Pierre Boulez, Le marteau sans maître; with Ensemble InterContemporain, directed by the composer; CBS Sony
- 1988 – Schoenberg, Pierrot Lunaire; with Ensemble InterContemporain, directed by Pierre Boulez; BBC
- 1989 – Pierre Boulez, Le visage nuptial; with Phyllis Bryn-Julson (soprano) and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Pierre Boulez; Erato
- 1989 – Luigi Nono, Guai ai gelidi nostri
- 1990 – Stravinsky, The Nightingale; with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, directed by Pierre Boulez
- 1994 – Ahmed Essyad, L'exercice de l'amour; Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, conducted by B. Ferrandis; Erato
Selected filmography
- 1988 – Béla Bartók, Duke Bluebeard's Castle: Judith [6][7]
- 1988 – Nigel Osborne, The Electrification of the Soviet Union: Anna Arild [8]
- 1991 – Harrison Birtwistle, Gawain: Lady de Hautdesert [9]
References
- 1 2 3 Forbes, Elizabeth (2008). "Elizabeth Laurence". In Macy, Laura. The Grove Book of Opera Singers. Oxford Reference (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195337655. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
- ↑ "Prom 24, 19:30 Friday 8 Aug 1986". BBC. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
- ↑ "Prom 21, 19:30 Monday 3 Aug 1987". BBC. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
- ↑ "London Diary for August". The Musical Times. 129 (1745). July 1988. JSTOR 964758.
- ↑ "Prom 14, 19:30 Tuesday 2 Aug 1988". BBC. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
- ↑ Duke Bluebeard's Castle at the Internet Movie Database
- ↑ "Duke Bluebeard's Castle". British Film Institute. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
- ↑ "The Electrification of the Soviet Union". British Film Institute. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
- ↑ Gawain at the Internet Movie Database
External links
- Elizabeth Laurence at AllMusic. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
- "Elizabeth Laurence". British Film Institute. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
- Elizabeth Laurence discography at Discogs
- Elizabeth Laurence at the Internet Movie Database
- "Elizabeth Laurence – Mezzo Soprano". Retrieved 28 February 2016. Elizabeth Laurence's own website.