Sarah Fox
Encyclopedia
Sarah Fox is an English
operatic soprano
who has performed at several of the world’s leading opera houses, notably the Royal Opera House Covent Garden
. She was educated at the University of London
and the Royal College of Music
in London. She won the Kathleen Ferrier Award
in 1997 and the John Christie Award
in 2000.
), returning in 2002 as Zerlina (Don Giovanni
) and in 2003 as Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro). Of her Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Glyndebourne Festival Barbarina Diana, writing in Il giornale della musica desciribed her performance at Glyndebourne as "a delight for the eye and heart, whose voice, fresh and crystal clear is blessed with a rare beauty accompanied by a strong musicality: 'Deh vieni' interpreted without affectation, directed to her beloved, takes your breath away". With Glyndebourne on tour she has sung Marzelline (Fidelio
) and Miss Wordsworth (Albert Herring
). In 2004, she made her debut with the Royal Opera Covent Garden
as Woglinde (Das Rheingold
), returning to the house in 2005 as Waldvogel (Siegfried
) and in 2006 as Woglinde (Götterdämmerung
). In 2007 she sang Zerlina (Don Giovanni) and Woglinde (Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung; in 2008, Lucy Lockitt in The Beggars Opera and in 2009, Asteria in Handel's "Tamerlano." Further British engagements include Ann Page (Sir John in Love
) with English National Opera
, Merab (Saul
), Musetta and Mimi (La Bohème) with Opera North
, and Servilia (La clemenza di Tito
) with Welsh National Opera
. At the Edinburgh Festival
, her roles have included Iphis (Jephtha) and Cleofide (Poro
).
Sarah Fox made her international debut as Ilia (Idomeneo
) with De Vlaamse Opera. In 2005, she made her debut with the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich
as Michal (Saul), returning to the house in 2006 as Eurydice (Orphée et Eurydice
). In 2008 and 2009, she sang Asteria in Handel's Tamerlano
. She is scheduled to revive the role opposite Plácido Domingo
at the Gran Teatre del Liceu
in Barcelona
in 2011. She made her debut at the Salzburg Festival
in 2005 as Second Niece (Peter Grimes
) and returned to the Festival in 2007 as Woglinde (Das Rheingold). Further European engagements include Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) for the Royal Danish Opera, Arianna (Arianna in Creta
) for the Nationale Reisoper and Karolka (Jenufa) at the Deutsche Oper Berlin
. In 2004, Sarah Fox made her North American debut as Zerlina (Don Giovanni) at the Cincinnati Opera
.
Sarah Fox has an extensive concert repertoire and has been particularly associated with the British Broadcasting Corporation, The Bach Choir
and the Choir of King's College, Cambridge
. She has also performed abroad with many of the world's leading orchestras including the San Francisco Symphony, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Berlin Philharmonic and the Minnesota Orchestra. In 2009 she performed with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
in Mahler's Symphony No. 2
; toured throughout Europe and the USA in Handel's Athalia with Ivor Bolton
and the Concerto Koln; and sang in Handel's Acis and Galatea with the Gabrieli Consort at the Beaune Festival. She also starred in the BBC MGM Prom with Sir Thomas Allen, Seth Macfarlane, John Wilson and the John Wilson Orchestra in 2009. She appeared once again at The Proms in 2011, with the John Wilson orchestra and stars of musical theatre.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
operatic soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
who has performed at several of the world’s leading opera houses, notably the Royal Opera House Covent Garden
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
. She was educated at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
and the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
in London. She won the Kathleen Ferrier Award
Kathleen Ferrier Award
The Kathleen Ferrier Award is a prestigious contest for Opera singers held each April in London, England. The first competition was held in 1956. Originally conceived to offer a prize equivalent to a year's tuition plus support, the competition now offers a first prize of £10,000, a second prize...
in 1997 and the John Christie Award
John Christie (Glyndebourne)
John Christie, CH, MC was an English landowner and producer. He was the founder of the Glyndebourne Opera House and the Glyndebourne Festival Opera at his home at Glyndebourne, near Lewes in Sussex in 1934....
in 2000.
Career
In 2000, Sarah Fox made her debut for the Glyndebourne Festival as Karolka (JenufaJenufa
Jenůfa is an opera in three acts by Leoš Janáček to a Czech libretto by the composer, based on the play Její pastorkyňa by Gabriela Preissová. It was first performed at the Brno Theater, Brno, 21 January 1904...
), returning in 2002 as Zerlina (Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
) and in 2003 as Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro). Of her Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Glyndebourne Festival Barbarina Diana, writing in Il giornale della musica desciribed her performance at Glyndebourne as "a delight for the eye and heart, whose voice, fresh and crystal clear is blessed with a rare beauty accompanied by a strong musicality: 'Deh vieni' interpreted without affectation, directed to her beloved, takes your breath away". With Glyndebourne on tour she has sung Marzelline (Fidelio
Fidelio
Fidelio is a German opera in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is Beethoven's only opera. The German libretto is by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly which had been used for the 1798 opera Léonore, ou L’amour conjugal by Pierre Gaveaux, and for the 1804 opera Leonora...
) and Miss Wordsworth (Albert Herring
Albert Herring
Albert Herring, Op. 39, is a chamber opera in three acts by Benjamin Britten.Composed in the winter of 1946 and the spring of 1947, this comic opera was a successor to his serious opera The Rape of Lucretia...
). In 2004, she made her debut with the Royal Opera Covent Garden
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
as Woglinde (Das Rheingold
Das Rheingold
is the first of the four operas that constitute Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen . It was originally written as an introduction to the tripartite Ring, but the cycle is now generally regarded as consisting of four individual operas.Das Rheingold received its premiere at the National Theatre...
), returning to the house in 2005 as Waldvogel (Siegfried
Siegfried (opera)
Siegfried is the third of the four operas that constitute Der Ring des Nibelungen , by Richard Wagner. It received its premiere at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus on 16 August 1876, as part of the first complete performance of The Ring...
) and in 2006 as Woglinde (Götterdämmerung
Götterdämmerung
is the last in Richard Wagner's cycle of four operas titled Der Ring des Nibelungen...
). In 2007 she sang Zerlina (Don Giovanni) and Woglinde (Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung; in 2008, Lucy Lockitt in The Beggars Opera and in 2009, Asteria in Handel's "Tamerlano." Further British engagements include Ann Page (Sir John in Love
Sir John in Love
Sir John in Love is an opera in four acts by the English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. The libretto, by the composer himself, is based on Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor. Vaughan Williams originally titled his opera The Fat Knight...
) with English National Opera
English National Opera
English National Opera is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St. Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden...
, Merab (Saul
Saul (Handel)
Saul is an oratorio in three acts written by George Frideric Handel with a libretto by Charles Jennens. Taken from the 1st Book of Samuel, the story of Saul focuses on the first king of Israel’s relationship with his eventual successor, David; one which turns from admiration to envy and hatred,...
), Musetta and Mimi (La Bohème) with Opera North
Opera North
Opera North is an English opera company based in Leeds. The company's home theatre is the Leeds Grand Theatre, but it also presents regular seasons in several other cities, at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, the Lowry Centre, Salford Quays and the Theatre Royal, Newcastle...
, and Servilia (La clemenza di Tito
La clemenza di Tito
La clemenza di Tito , K. 621, is an opera seria in two acts composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Caterino Mazzolà, after Metastasio...
) with Welsh National Opera
Welsh National Opera
Welsh National Opera is an opera company founded in Cardiff, Wales in 1943. The WNO tours Wales, the United Kingdom and the rest of the world extensively. Annually, it gives more than 120 performances of eight main stage operas to a combined audience of around 150,000 people...
. At the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
, her roles have included Iphis (Jephtha) and Cleofide (Poro
Poro (opera)
Poro, re dell'Indie is an opera seria in three acts written for the Royal Academy of Music by George Frideric Handel...
).
Sarah Fox made her international debut as Ilia (Idomeneo
Idomeneo
Idomeneo, re di Creta ossia Ilia e Idamante is an Italian language opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The libretto was adapted by Giambattista Varesco from a French text by Antoine Danchet, which had been set to music by André Campra as Idoménée in 1712...
) with De Vlaamse Opera. In 2005, she made her debut with the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
as Michal (Saul), returning to the house in 2006 as Eurydice (Orphée et Eurydice
Orfeo ed Euridice
Orfeo ed Euridice is an opera composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck based on the myth of Orpheus, set to a libretto by Ranieri de' Calzabigi. It belongs to the genre of the azione teatrale, meaning an opera on a mythological subject with choruses and dancing...
). In 2008 and 2009, she sang Asteria in Handel's Tamerlano
Tamerlano
Tamerlano is an opera in three acts written for the Royal Academy of Music , with music by George Frideric Handel to an Italian text by Nicola Francesco Haym, adapted from Agostin Piovene's Tamerlano together with another libretto entitled Bajazet after Nicolas Pradon's Tamerlan, ou La Mort de...
. She is scheduled to revive the role opposite Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
at the Gran Teatre del Liceu
Liceu
The Gran Teatre del Liceu , or simply Liceu in Catalan and Liceo in Spanish, is an opera house on La Rambla in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
in 2011. She made her debut at the Salzburg Festival
Salzburg Festival
The Salzburg Festival is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer within the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
in 2005 as Second Niece (Peter Grimes
Peter Grimes
Peter Grimes is an opera by Benjamin Britten, with a libretto adapted by Montagu Slater from the Peter Grimes section of George Crabbe's poem The Borough...
) and returned to the Festival in 2007 as Woglinde (Das Rheingold). Further European engagements include Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) for the Royal Danish Opera, Arianna (Arianna in Creta
Arianna in Creta
Arianna in Creta is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. The Italian-language libretto was adapted by Francis Colman from Pietro Pariati's Arianna e Teseo, a text previously set by Nicola Porpora in 1727 and Leonardo Leo in 1729.-Performance history:The opera was first given at...
) for the Nationale Reisoper and Karolka (Jenufa) at the Deutsche Oper Berlin
Deutsche Oper Berlin
The Deutsche Oper Berlin is an opera company located in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin, Germany. The resident building is also home to the Berlin State Ballet.-History:...
. In 2004, Sarah Fox made her North American debut as Zerlina (Don Giovanni) at the Cincinnati Opera
Cincinnati Opera
Cincinnati Opera is an American opera company based in Cincinnati, Ohio and the second oldest opera company in the United States .-History:...
.
Sarah Fox has an extensive concert repertoire and has been particularly associated with the British Broadcasting Corporation, The Bach Choir
The Bach Choir
The Bach Choir is a large chorus, based in London, England. It has around 220 active members. The choir's musical director is David Hill and previous musical directors have included Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Reginald Jacques and Sir David Willcocks.The Bach Choir is an...
and the Choir of King's College, Cambridge
Choir of King's College, Cambridge
The Choir of King's College, Cambridge is one of today's most accomplished and renowned representatives of the great British choral tradition. It was created by King Henry VI, who founded King's College, Cambridge in 1441, to provide daily singing in his Chapel, which remains the main task of the...
. She has also performed abroad with many of the world's leading orchestras including the San Francisco Symphony, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Berlin Philharmonic and the Minnesota Orchestra. In 2009 she performed with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. The Orchestra's current chief executive, appointed in 1999, is Stephen Maddock...
in Mahler's Symphony No. 2
Symphony No. 2 (Mahler)
The Symphony No. 2 by Gustav Mahler, known as the Resurrection, was written between 1888 and 1894, and first performed in 1895. Apart from the Eighth Symphony, this symphony was Mahler's most popular and successful work during his lifetime. It is his first major work that would eventually mark his...
; toured throughout Europe and the USA in Handel's Athalia with Ivor Bolton
Ivor Bolton
Ivor Bolton is an English conductor and harpsichordist. He studied at Clare College and at the Royal College of Music...
and the Concerto Koln; and sang in Handel's Acis and Galatea with the Gabrieli Consort at the Beaune Festival. She also starred in the BBC MGM Prom with Sir Thomas Allen, Seth Macfarlane, John Wilson and the John Wilson Orchestra in 2009. She appeared once again at The Proms in 2011, with the John Wilson orchestra and stars of musical theatre.