Norma Burrowes

Norma Burrowes (born on April 24, 1944) is an Irish coloratura soprano, particularly associated with Handel and Mozart roles.

Life and career

Born in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland, she studied at The Queen's University of Belfast and then at Royal Academy of Music with Flora Nielsen and Rupert Bruce-Lockhart. She made her professional debut with the Glyndebourne Touring Opera Company, as Zerlina, in 1970. The same year, she made her debut at the Royal Opera House in London, as Fiakermilli, and at the Glyndebourne Festival, as Papagena.

Burrowes joined the English National Opera in 1971, and quickly began to appear on the international scene, notably at the Salzburg Festival, the Paris Opéra, the Aix-en-Provence Festival. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Blondchen.^[1]

She began her career singing mostly soubrette roles, such as: Blonde, Susanna, Despina, but gradually expanded to light coloratura parts, such as: Adina, Norina, Marie, Oscar, Nanetta, Zerbinetta, later adding more lyrical roles such as: Pamina, Juliette, Manon. She also excelled in opera by Purcell, Handel, and Haydn, in which she can be heard on several recordings.

From 1969 to 1980 she was married to the conductor Steuart Bedford.^[1]

A singer with a pure and silvery voice, secure coloratura technique and delightful stage presence, Burrowes retired from the stage in 1982. Today she is a member of the vocal faculty at York University, Toronto.

Selective Discography

• Vaughan Williams The Pilgrim’s Progress: LPO/Adrian Boult; rec. 1970-71 (EMI)
• Holst The Wandering Scholar: English Opera Group/Steuart Bedford; rec. 1974 (EMI)
• Poulenc Gloria: CBSO/Louis Frémaux; rec. 1976 (EMI)
• Fauré Requiem: CBSO/Louis Frémaux; rec. 1977 (EMI)
• Handel Acis and Galatea: English Baroque Soloists/John Eliot Gardiner; rec 1978 (DG Archiv)
• Handel Semele: English Baroque Soloists/John Eliot Gardiner; rec 1983 (Erato)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Baker's (1997), p.189

Sources

• Baker's Biographical Dictionary of 20th Century Classical Musicians, ed. Laura Kuhn. New York: Schirmer Books, 1997.
• Grove Music Online, Elizabeth Forbes, Oxford University Press, 2008.
• "Norma Burrowes (Soprano)". bach-cantatas.com. http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Burrowes-Norma.htm. Retrieved 2009-06-20. 

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Name	Burrowes, Norma
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Date of birth	April 24, 1944
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