Rebecca Evans (soprano)

Rebecca Ann Evans CBE , is a Welsh operatic soprano.

Rebecca Evans

CBE
Evans in 2006
Born1963 (age 57–58)
Pontrhydyfen, West Glamorgan, Wales
Alma materGuildhall School of Music and Drama
OccupationSinger

Personal life

Evans was born in the village of Pontrhydyfen near Neath, the same village as the actor Richard Burton.[1]

She married Stephen Jones in 1997, and they have one son, William born in 1999. They live in Penarth, South Wales.

Career

Evans studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, at the same time as Bryn Terfel.[2]

She has since performed regularly at the Welsh National Opera; the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, English National Opera (London Coliseum) and Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich. She has established a major operatic career in America where she has sung Susanna (The Marriage of 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 (The Magic Flute) and Susanna (The 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 participated in only the second recording of Delius's Requiem (1996, under Richard Hickox). 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 was also a guest artist on the 2008 BBC2 series Maestro[3] presented by Clive Anderson.

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 and Patron of Music in Hospitals Cymru/Wales.

On 1 May 2009, Evans was awarded an honorary degree Doctor of Music from the University of Wales.[4]

Evans was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to the arts in Wales.[5]

Honours and awards
  • Evans was appointed by the Eisteddfod as a member of the Gorsedd of Bards. Created in 1792 as celebration of Welsh heritage, the Gorsedd are those who have contributed significantly to Welsh culture.[6]
  • Morriston Orpheus Choir Supporters' Association (MOCSA) Young Welsh Singer of the Year 1989[7]
  • Théâtre du Châtelet Paris – Prix Hélène Rochas 2001
  • Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording 2008 for Hansel and Gretel
  • Sir Geraint Evans Music Prize 2009
  • CBE in Queen's Birthday Honour list 2020

Opera recordings
Title Year Label Notes
The Pearl Fishers 2008 Chandos
The Pilgrim's Progress
Hugh the Drover 1994 Hyperion
La bohème 2005 Chandos
The Magic Flute 2006
Sofonisba 2007
The Marriage of Figaro
Fidelio 2008
Falstaff 2006
Idomeneo
Hansel and Gretel 2007

References
  1. BBC – Burton Emmanuel Evans – News
  2. Western Mail – Rebecca Evans – Career
  3. BBC – Maestro – News – Opera stars join Maestro
  4. University of Wales – Document Presentation- Mr D Hugh Thomas CBE DL
  5. "No. 63135". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 October 2020. p. B9.
  6. Western Mail
  7. Morriston Orpheus
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