| Biography | The English soprano, Wendy Eathorne, (born 25 September 1939) studied at the Royal Academy of Music, from 1959 to 1965, with May Blyth, Flora Neilson, and later with Dame Eva Turner. She received numerous Prizes at the Royal Academy of Music, and was Winner of the Kathleen Ferrier Competition in 1965. She was also awarded by Gulbenkian Foundation in 1967, J.P. Aram Lrannarcnn.
On leaving the Academy Wendy Eathorne went straight into the West End Musical Robert and Elizabeth (1965-1967), gaining valuable stage experience before singing many soubrette roles. She has had numerous concert appearances, including Promenade Concerts, London; Engagements with the London Bach Choir, London Symphony Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra and other leading British orchestras. Her repertoire includes works by George Frideric Handel (Susanna and Belshazzar), Franz Liszt (Missa Solemnis) and Haydn (The Creation). She appeared with Welsh National Opera, English National Opera and Royal Opera Covent Garden and at Glyndebourne Festival Opera in 1969-1971, as Sophie in Werther, First Boy in Die Zauberflöte and Atalanta in The Rising of the Moon. She made her Italian debut in Ariadne auf Naxos. Her repertoire also includes Julia in La Vestale by Spontini and Marguerite in Faust.
Wendy Eathorne then continued her busy career in concerts, broadcasts, including the Proms, and gramophone recordings under such celebrated conductors as Simon Rattle, Pierre Boulez, Bernard Haitink and Adrian Boult. She has given many recitals with the pianist Geoffrey Pratley: programmes include groups of songs by Purcell to modern pieces.
More recently Wendy Eathorne has been on the staff of Trinity College of Music, where for five years she was Head of Vocal Studies, and was able to produce and develop the present comprehensive singing course there. She is also Associate at the Royal Academy of Music, Licentiate at the Royal Academy of Music, and Associate at the Royal College of Music, and Festival adjudicator.
Recordings: Masses by Bach (Argo); A Village Romeo and Juliet (EMI); Monteverdi Madrigals Libro IV (Philips); A. Scarlatti Clori e Zeffiro and St Cecilia Mass, Schubert Mass in A flat (Argo); Vaughan Williams The Pilgrim's Progress and Sir John in Love (EMI); Bridge, The Christmas Rose (Pavilion). |