Elly Ameling

Elisabeth Sara (Elly) Ameling (born February 8, 1933 in Rotterdam) is a Dutch soprano.

Career

She studied with Bodi Rapp, Jo Bollekamp, Sem Dresden and Jacoba Dresden-Dhont and later French art song with Pierre Bernac. She won the first prize during the "Vocal Concours" in 's-Hertogenbosch in Holland (1956) and the "Concours International de Musique" in Geneva (1958). After her professional début as a concert singer in Rotterdam in 1953, she performed for more than forty years in virtually every major cultural centre in the world. Her frequent appearances with the leading international orchestras and conductors (Sir Bernard Haitink, Rafael Kubelík, Carlo Maria Giulini, Benjamin Britten, Seiji Ozawa, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Kurt Masur, Sir Neville Marriner, Karl Münchinger, André Previn, Edo de Waart among others) established her as one of the greatest singers of our age.

She made her career mainly as a concert and lieder singer with some excursions into opera (Mozart, Haydn) and became world-renowned for her recitals of French and German songs and for her superlative interpretive gifts. She is equally at home in chamber music, orchestral music, operas, and oratorios. She made her U.S. recital debut at New York's Lincoln Center in 1968 and her opera debut in 1974 as Ilia in Mozart's "Idomeneo" in Washington, D.C.

Contemporary works, particularly by her countrymen Bertus van Lier and Robert Heppener, are also part of her large repertoire. Ameling has recorded more than 150 albums and has won many coveted recording prizes, including The Edison Award, the "Grand Prix du Disque" and the "Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik". For her services to music, Dr. Ameling has been awarded four honorary degrees and has been knighted, in 1971, by Her Majesty the Queen of The Netherlands for her services to music (the Orde van Oranje Nassau) and in 2008 she received the highest civil decoration in the Netherlands, the Order of the Netherlands Lion.

Nowadays Elly Ameling is in great demand throughout the world for her master classes for singers and their pianists.

Recordings (selection)

* "Elly Ameling 75 jaar, Live Concertopnamen 1957-1991, Nederlandse Omroep" (5CD), 2008, Radio Broadcasts 1957-91, incl. Richard Strauss "Vier letzte Lieder", Van Omnium audiovisueel, GW 80003.
* "The Artistry of Elly Ameling" (5CD), Philips (Universal).
* "Elly Ameling, After Hours...", Songs von Gershwin, Porter, Prévert a.o.; E.A., Louis van Dijk, Philips (Universal).
* "Elly Ameling, Sentimental Me", Songs von Porter, Ellington, Sondheim a.o.; E.A., Louis van Dijk, Polygram Classics.
* "Elly Ameling, Sweet Was The Song", international christmas songs, EMI.
* "Elly Ameling, The Early Recordings" (4CD), DHM (Sony BMG).
* "Bach, Arias from Cantatas for soprano, Oboe and B.C.", E.A., Han de Vries (Oboe), Albert de Klerk (Organ), Richte van der Meer (Cello), EMI.
* "Bach, Bauern-, Kaffee-, Hochzeitskantate, Non sà che sia dolore", E.A., G.English, S.Nimsgern, Collegium Aureum, DHM (Sony BMG).
* "Bach, Kantaten, Ein feste Burg, Jauchzet Gott, Wachet auf", English Chamber Orchestra, Raymond Leppard, Dt. Bachsolisten, Helmut Winschermann, Philips (Universal).
* "Bach, Johannes-Passion", Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Karl Münchinger, Decca (Universal).
* "Bach, Matthäus-Passion", Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Karl Münchinger, Decca (Universal).
* "Bach, Magnificat/Osteroratorium", Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Karl Münchinger, Decca (Universal).
* "Bach, Weihnachtsoratorium", Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Karl Münchinger, Decca (Universal).
* "Berlioz, Les Nuits d'été", Atlanta S.O., Robert Shaw, Telarc.
* "Brahms, Lieder, E.A., Rudolf Jansen, Hyperion.
* "Fauré, Lieder, Complete Songs" (4CD), E.A., Gérard Sozay, Dalton Baldwin, Brilliant (Joan Records).
* "Fauré, Requiem", Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Jean Fournet, Philips (Universal).
* "Grieg, Peer Gynt", San Francisco S.O., Edo de Waart, Philips (Universal).
* "Händel, Messias", St Martin-in-the-Fields, Sir Neville Marriner, Decca.
* "Haydn, Orlando Paladino", Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, Antal Dorati, Philips (Universal).
* "Mahler, Symphonie Nr.2 & Symphonie Nr.4", Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink, Philips (Universal).
* "Martin, Le mystère de la nativité", Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet, Cascavelle.
* "Martin, Frank Martin interprète Frank Martin", E.A. a.o., Frank Martin, Jecklin Disco.
* "Mozart, Requiem", Wiener Philharmoniker, Istvan Kertesz, Decca.
* "Mozart, Schubert, Opern-und Konzertarien", Rotterdam P.O., Edo de Waart, Pentatone.
* "The complete Mozart-Edition Vol. 24 (Lieder, Notturni)", Philips (Universal).
* "Mendelssohn, Elias", Leipziger Gewandhausorchester, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Philips (Universal).
* "Poulenc, Edition du centenaire 1899-1963 (Melodien und Lieder)", EMI Classics.
* "Ravel, Mélodies-Lieder, Shéhérazade", E.A., Rudolf Jansen, Erato (Warner).
* "Schubert, Lieder" (4CD), E.A., Dalton Baldwin, Rudolf Jansen, Philips (Universal).
* "Schubert, Schumann, Lieder, Elly Ameling, Jörg Demus", DHM (Sony BMG).
* "Schubert, Duette-Terzette-Quartette", E.A., Janet Baker, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Peter Schreier, Gerald Moore, Deutsche Grammophon.
* "Schumann, Frauenliebe- und Leben", E.A., Dalton Baldwin, Pentatone.
* "Vivaldi, Berühmte geistliche Chorwerke, Nulla in mundo pax", English Chamber Orchestra, Vittorio Negri, Philips (Universal).
* "Vivaldi, Juditha Triumphans", Kammerorchester Berlin, Vittorio Negri, Philips (Universal).
* "Wolf, italienisches Liederbuch, Goethe- und Keller-Lieder", E.A., Tom Krause, Irwin Gage, Rudolf Jansen, GLOBE.
* "Wolf, spanisches Liederbuch", E.A., Rudolf Jansen (Piano), Hyperion.

References

* Hamilton, David. (1987). " [http://www.folklib.net/index/discog/bibliog7.shtml#kq The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia: A Comprehensive Guide to the World of Opera] ". New York, London, Toronto, Sydney, Tokyo: Simon and Schuster. p. 21. ISBN 0-671-61732-X.
* Sadie, Stanley and John Tyrrell. (2001)." [http://www.folklib.net/index/discog/bibliog.shtml#km The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians] ". London: Macmillan Publishers Ltd. Vol. 1, p. 462. ISBN 0-333-60800-3.
* Janny de Jong: "Elly Ameling, vocaal avontuur". 104 pages, Unieboek/De Gooise Uitgeverij, Bussum (NL) 1978, ISBN 90-269-8404-9.

External links

* [http://sonybmgmasterworks.com/artists/ellyameling/ Discography at SonyBMG Masterworks]
* [http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Ameling-Elly.htm Biography] (Bach Cantatas)