Opera Scotland

Anne Evans Suggest updates

Dame Anne Evans.

Born London, 20 August 1941.

English soprano.

Anne Evans had an important international career as a lyric, and later dramatic, soprano, developing into an unusually subtle performer of the leading roles of Wagner, including several seasons as Brünnhilde at Bayreuth. She also appeared at the Met.

She trained in London (Royal College of Music) under Ruth Packer, then in Geneva with Maria Carpi. Her debut, in 1967, was as Annina in La traviata at Geneva. Returning to London, she spent the early years of her career based at Sadler's Wells Opera/ENO, starting in 1968 as Mimì. Her repertoire at the Coliseum developed from the lyric roles of Mozart (Ilia, Countess, Fiordiligi and Pamina) through Verdi (Violetta), Offenbach (Antonia & Giulietta), J Strauss (Rosalinde), Smetana (Milada), Puccini (Musetta, Tosca), Strauss (Marschallin) and Wagner (Elsa, Sieglinde).

With Welsh National, she appeared as Senta in 1974, returning for appearances as Brünnhilde in the Ring and Isolde. She also sang Strauss roles including Chrysothemis in Elektra and the Empress and Dyer's Wife in successive runs of Die Frau ohne Schatten.

Her belated debut with Scottish Opera in 1994 was as Isolde, returning for Ariadne. Edinburgh Festival appearances also included a concert performance of Fidelio and her first lieder recital, at the Queen's Hall.