Rebecca Evans

Rebecca Evans (born Aug, 1963) is a Welsh soprano from the village of Pontrhydyfen near Neath, Wales.

She studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and has performed regularly at the Welsh National Opera; the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich. She has established a major operatic career in America where she has sung Susanna ("Le Nozze di Figaro") for the Santa Fe Opera; Adele ("Die Fledermaus") for the Chicago Lyric Opera; Zerlina ("Don Giovanni"), Ann Trulove ("The Rake’s Progress") and Adina ("L'elisir d'amore") for San Francisco Opera; and both Susanna and Zerlina for the Metropolitan Opera, New York.

As a concert singer, she has appeared at the BBC Proms and the Edinburgh Festival; at a Gala Concert to celebrate the opening of the Welsh Assembly in the presence of the Queen and the Prince of Wales; and in Bremen with Andrea Bocelli and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Her recordings include Ilia ("Idomeneo"), Pamina ("Die Zauberflöte") and Susanna ("Marriage of Figaro") for Chandos, Nanetta ("Falstaff") for Decca, and a solo recording of Italian songs for EMI. She has also recorded three principal soprano parts in Sir Charles Mackerras's Telarc series of Gilbert & Sullivan operettas: the Plaintiff in Trial by Jury, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance and Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore. She has also sung Belinda in the BBC film of "Dido and Aeneas" and hosted the BBC television series "A Touch of Classics" with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.

She is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and was awarded an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Music, from the University of Glamorgan in 1997. She is also Vice-president of the Welsh homelessness charity Shelter Cymru.

Rebecca was married in 1997 to Stephen Jones and they have one son, William, born 25th April 1999. They live in Penarth, South Wales.

Awards

*Young Welsh Singer of the Year 1989
*MOCSA Winner 1989
*Théâtre du Châtelet - Prix Hélène Rochas 2001
*Grammy Winner - Best Opera Recording 2007

Trivia

*Rebecca Evans comes from the same village as Richard Burton.
*Rebecca studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama at the same time as Bryn Terfel.

Discography

Pearl FishersSeptember 01, 2008The Pilgrim's Progress: Vaughan Williams (released next month )April 13, 20086 Tracks (2:12:11)Paer: Sofonisba (Highlights)November 14, 2006(76:01)Fidelio: BeethovenJune 21, 2005(1:51)Mozart: The Magic Flute (BBC Music Magazine Disc of the Month, June 2005)(Opera Magazine Disc of the Month, June 2005)April 26, 2005(2:17)Mozart: The Marriage Of FigaroSeptember 21, 2004(2:44)Mozart - IdomeneoJanuary 15, 2004(2:12)Vaughan Williams: Hugh The DroverJanuary 13, 2004(1:42)Beethoven: Mass In C MajorNovember 25, 2003(0:56)Beethoven: Mass in C MajorOctober 17, 2003(1:49)Britten: Albert HerringFebruary 25, 2003(2:27)Pastoral Symphony, Norfolk Rhapsody No 2 :Vaughan WilliamsSeptember 24, 2002(1:06)Falstaff : VerdiJanuary 01, 2001(2:01)Rebecca Evans: DebutOctober 20, 19981 Track (68:59)Finzi - Dies natalisJuly 01, 1997(68:21)Delius: A Mass Of Life, RequiemMarch 18, 1997(2:10)Rebecca EvansOctober 10, 1995(1:12)Mozart: Le Nozze Di FigaroMay 16, 1995(3:29)Gilbert & Sullivan: H.M.S. PinaforeNovember 14, 1994(1:36)Gilbert & Sullivan: The Pirates Of PenzanceOctober 26, 1993(1:18)

References

External links

* [http://www.terrynorm.ic24.net/ammanford%20choral%20society.htm More biographical material]
* [http://www.askonasholt.co.uk/green/green/home.nsf/ArtistDetails/Rebecca%20Evans Rebecca Evans' Artist Management Askonas Holt]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chJv7wsoCM0 Rebecca Evans (Soprano) sings Panis Angelicus. Stephen Isserlis - Cello]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/learnwelsh/bigwelshchallenge/tv/characters/rebecca.shtml BBC - Big Welsh Challenge 2007/2008 -Celebrity Team]
* [http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/search/display.var.1037169.0.sting_performs_at_cathedral.php November 2006 -Rebecca Evans & Simon Keenlyside perform with Sting & Trudie Styler - Article]
* [http://www.musicalcriticism.com/interviews/evans.htm Rebecca Evans Interview 5th July 2007 - Music Critic.Com]
* [http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/2008/01/03/grammy-nomination-for-welsh-opera-star-91466-20307622/ Rebecca Evans GRAMMY NOMINATION 2008]