Elizabeth Laurence

Elizabeth Laurence (born Elizabeth Jane Scott, 22 November 1949, Harrogate, England) is a classical mezzo-soprano singer. She is best known for her performances of 20th century operatic repertoire, and has created several operatic roles.

Biography

Elizabeth Laurence studied at Trinity College of Music, London.

In 1986, Laurence performed Mallika (in Léo Delibes' ''Lakmé'') in Montecarlo; concerts of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas (1983). Often invited to sing Jocasta (Stravinsky's ''Oedipus rex'') in Madrid (1986, 1987, 2009) and Nancy (Britten's ''Albert Herring'') for Glyndebourne Touring Company (1987), she created the role of Anna Arild in Nigel Osborne's opera '' The Electrification of the Soviet Union'' (1988, 1989) and ''Terrible Mouth'' (1992). In 1988, she made the BBC film of ''Bluebeard's Castle'' by Bartok in London, having performed it in Colmar, Alsace; she premiered this work in Tbilisi (1999) and Tokyo (1997), and during concerts in Festival St Riquier, France (1999).

In 1997 and 2001, Laurence played ''Geneviève'' in Debussy's '' Pelléas et Mélisande'' on tour in France with Amaury du Closel. She sang ''Izuko'' in Cavanna's ''Les Confessions impudiques'' in Nanterre and Strasbourg (1990/1992). In 1994 she sang in concert ''Les Épisodes d'une vie d'artiste'' by Jacques Banc in Rotterdam. In 1989, at the Paris Opéra, she created the part of Behemoth in York Höller's opera ''Der Meister und Margarita''. She sang in the premiere of Luciano Berio's ''Un re in ascolto'' there in 1989, followed by ''Lulu'' by Alban Berg (1989, 1999, 2003,); ''Médée'' by R. Liebermann (2002) with Lavelli and J Conlon; she also sang in ''Der Rosenkavalier'' (Annina) and ''Die Frau ohne Schatten'' (Stimme von Oben, doubling Amme). 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 she created the part of Lady de Hautdesert in Harrison Birtwistle's opera ''Gawain''. Asked to sing Flora in '' La traviata'' by Verdi in Marseille (1996), returning for Judith Symphony, by Jean Guillou and Salomé, by Richard Strauss. Later ''Falstaff'' (2004) England; Thomas ''Hamlet'' Queen Gertrude (2001). In 1997, she interpreted ''Die alte Frau'' in ''Wozzeck'' by Gurlitt in Rouen. Elizabeth Laurence sang ''la madre'' in ''Al gran sole carico d'amore'' by Luigi Nono (1999) with acclaim in Hamburg Staatsoper, also stepping in, in Henze's ''We come from the River'' (2001). In Frankfurt she was Contralto in Rihm's ''Die Eroberung von Mexico'' (2000/2001) and Ommou in ''Die Wande'' by Adriana Holszky (2000) Concert version: ''Erwartung'' also ''Cavalleria Rusticana'' by Monleone and Mascagni and ''Notre Dame'' by Schmidt with Layer and Armin Jordan, Montpellier; by Arnold Schoenberg (2001) Saarbrücken. At La Scala de Milan, Metz, Leeds and London, she sang the first performance in concerts of '' Le Visage nuptial'' by Pierre Boulez (1987) conducted by the composer; she was Erste Magd in ''Elektra'' (2005), Mother Marie in '' Dialogues des Carmelites'' by Francis Poulenc (2000/2004) and appeared in '' The Gambler'' by Prokofiev, filmed at Berlin State Opera (2008) under Daniel Barenboim's direction.

Her other operatic roles have included Cherubino (Mozart, ''Le nozze di Figaro''), (1987, Châtelet) Erda (Wagner, ''Der Ring des Nibelungen''), in Paris (1987), Fricka (1988); in Bonn (1990), Blumenmadchen in Parsifal (1987); filmed Judith (Béla Bartók, ''Bluebeard's Castle''), 1988: Concepción, (Ravel, ''L'heure espagnole'') filmed (1987); filmed in Brussels in Juditha Triuphans by Vivaldi (1989) and Carolina (Henze, ''Elegy for Young Lovers'') (2005, 2007) in Ancona and Naples.

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'' In 1987, she took the role of the Wood Dove in Schoenberg's ''Gurre-Lieder'' in a performance directed by Pierre Boulez. In 1988, she sang in Debussy's cantata ''La Damoiselle élue''. This rarely performed work specifies two female soloists; Ann Murray had been scheduled to be one but was indisposed, so Laurence sang both parts at short notice. Invited to interpret Grimgerde in Wagner's act 3 of ''Die Walküre'' (2000). In 1992 sang ''Sechs Lieder'', Op. 13, by Zemlinsky with Vienna Philharmonic; in 1989 premiered ''Elias's Five Poems by Irina Ratushinskaya'' R. F. Hall, London; sang Ligeti's ''Requiem'' in Belgium (1991), Frankfurt, televised (1993); ''Leucade''by Laurent Martin, premiered in Radio France (1996/2000), Paris. Much Mahler sung in Alsace (1982); Karlsruhe, Berlin (1990/1992) and Scotland (1992). Many concerts of Schoenberg: '' Pierrot lunaire'' (1980s/1990/1992) with Pierre Boulez, Simon Rattle. Opus 2 (1994): Charles Dutoit, Concertgebouw; ''Gurre-Lieder'', L'EIC with Pierre Boulez (1987); in 1990 with Sir Charles Groves, and recitals of '' Das Buch der hängenden Gärten''.

She has been described as having a "warm-toned, flexible voice and handsome appearance".

Selected discography

* 1985Pierre Boulez, ''Le marteau sans maître''; with Ensemble InterContemporain, directed by the composer; CBS Sony.
* 1987Pierre Boulez: La mélodie Contemporaine. L'EIC with Pierre Boulez. Cameras Continentales.
* 1988Schoenberg, '' Pierrot Lunaire''; with Ensemble InterContemporain, directed by Pierre Boulez; BBC.
* 1989Pierre Boulez, ''Le visage nuptial''; with Phyllis Bryn-Julson (soprano) and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Pierre Boulez; Erato.
* 1989Luigi Nono, ''Guai ai gelidi nostri''.
* 1990Stravinsky, '' 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

* 1988Béla Bartók, ''Duke Bluebeard's Castle'': Judith.
* 1988Nigel Osborne, ''The Electrification of the Soviet Union'': Anna Arild.
* 1991Harrison Birtwistle, ''Gawain'': Lady de Hautdesert.
* 1987''L'heure espagnole'' Armin Jordan. Nouvel Philharmonic Orchestre de Radio France.
* 1999''Al gran sole carico d'amore'' by Luigi Nono Staatsoper Frankfurt.
* 2002''Médée'' Rolf Liebermann. Opéra de Paris.
* 2007''Elegy for young lovers'' by Hans Werner Henze, Naples.
* 2008''The Gambler'' by Prokofiev at La Scala and Berlin State Opera, conducted by Daniel Barenboim.
* 2017''The Finding'' Mahogany Opera.

References

External links

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* Elizabeth Laurence's own website.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laurence, Elizabeth
1949 births
People from Harrogate
Alumni of Trinity College of Music
English operatic mezzo-sopranos
Living people