Elizabeth Donovan soprano

Elizabeth Donovan was born and educated in South Wales, and studied at the Royal Northern College of Music. Her awards include prizewinner in the 2006 Concours International de Chant de Toulouse, prizewinner in the 2007 Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition and winner of the 2002 Welsh Singer Competition. In 2003 she represented Wales in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition.

Elizabeth joined Welsh National Opera as an Associate Artist from 2003-2006 and was the first recipient of the Marjorie Gill Award as well as the WNO Chris Ball Bursary and WNO Sir John Moores Award. Roles for the company include Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro, First Lady in The Magic Flute, Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Flowermaiden in Parsifal, Echo Ariadne auf Naxos, and also a concert performance of Brigitta Iolante at the 2005 BBC Proms. Other roles include Leila in Les Pecheurs des Perles for Chelsea Opera Group.

Elizabeth made her debut at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2003 performing the role of Oriana in Amadigi, and her debut at the 2006 Welsh Proms in Mozart’s Requiem. Other concert highlights include Britten’s Spring Symphony and Dvorak’s Te Deum with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra at the Chester International Festival, Beethoven’s Folksong arrangements in Seville, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Haydn’s Nelson Mass, Mozart’s Requiem, Schubert’s Mass in A flat, Faure’s Requiem and Mendelssohn ‘s Elijah at the Fishguard International Festival.

Elizabeth collaborates regularly with pianists Michael Pollock and Rhodri Clarke, and has given recitals at the Aix-en-Provence Festival, broadcast live by Radio France, and at the Fishguard Festival and National Museum of Wales, broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.

Operatic roles this season include Constanza in The Abduction from the Seraglio for English Touring Opera and Norina in Don Pasquale for Diva Opera. Future plans include Clorinda in La Cenerentola for Scottish Opera.

Elizabeth is generously supported by The Peter Moores Foundation. She joins the National Opera Studio in September 2007.