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Ana James

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Ana James is a New Zealand-born operatic soprano who has appeared with The Royal Opera, the Glyndebourne Festival, and Opera Holland Park as well as with opera companies in Europe, South America, Asia and New Zealand.

Early life, education and early performances

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James was born in Dunedin, New Zealand. She trained at the Victoria University School of Music, Manhattan School of Music and the Royal College of Music's Benjamin Britten International Opera School.

Her notable college performances included The Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute at the RCM, a role she also sang for British Youth Opera in 2003.[1] In 2004 she was the inaugural recipient of the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation Award, which supports young operatic artists at the start of their careers.[2][3] James was awarded 2nd place in the Mobil Song Quest, New Zealand's premier singing competition (now known as the Lexus Song Quest), in 2000. She studied with Emily Mair in New Zealand, Marlena Malas in New York, and Lillian Watson in London.

Career

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From 2005 to 2007 she was a member of the Jette Parker Young Artists programme at the Royal Opera House. While a member of the Jette Parker programme, her appearances with the Royal Opera included Barbarina in David McVicar's production of The Marriage of Figaro, Serpina in La serva padrona.[4] and Elisa in Il Re Pastore in 2005.[5] Her performance in The Marriage of Figaro at the Royal Opera House is preserved in the 2006 live recording released on DVD by Opus Arte.[6] After leaving the programme, her performances with other opera companies have included Pamina in The Magic Flute with the Glyndebourne touring company (2008),[7] Gretel in Hansel and Gretel with New Zealand Opera (2008),[8] Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with Opera Holland Park (2010),[9] Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at the Glyndebourne Festival (2011)[10] and Miss Wordsworth in Albert Herring at the Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse (2013).[11] In 2013 she also sang Konstanze in a concert version of Die Entführung aus dem Serail in the Theatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro with the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra under Alejo Pérez.[12]

Ana James sang Ygraine in a 2007 recording of Ariane et Barbe-bleue with the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leon Botstein.[13] In a 2012 live recording of I quatro rusteghi she sang Felice with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vasily Petrenko.[14][15] In the 2013 live recording of Parsifal at the Proms, she sang a flower maiden with the Hallé Orchestra conducted by Mark Elder.[16]

James sang Donna Anna in Don Giovanni in 2014 and the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor[17] in 2015 for the touring company Diva Opera, before retiring from singing, due to family commitments.

Discography

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  • 2006: The Marriage of Figaro, Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House conducted by Antonio Pappano (Opus Arte, OABD7033D)[6]
  • 2007: Ariane et Barbe-bleue, BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leon Botstein.(Telarc, CD80680)[13]
  • 2013: Parsifal, Hallé Orchestra conducted by Mark Elder. (Hallé, CDHLD7539)[16]
  • 2018: I quatro rusteghi, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vasily Petrenko. (Rubicon, RCD1024)[14]

References

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  1. ↑ Dunnett, Roderic (3 September 2003). "The Magic Flute". The Independent.
  2. ↑ "Ana James". kiritekanawa.org. Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation. 4 December 2019.
  3. ↑ "Ana James". roh.org.uk. Royal Opera House. 4 December 2019.
  4. ↑ Picard, Anna (5 February 2006). "Review: Le nozze de Figaro, Royal Opera House, London". The Independent.
  5. ↑ "Il Re Pastore". musicweb-international.com. 4 December 2019.[dead link]
  6. 1 2 Steane, John (August 2008). "Review: Mozart, Le nozze di Figaro". Gramophone Magazine. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  7. ↑ Hall, George (18 October 2008). "Review: The Magic Flute". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  8. ↑ Cook, Marjorie (23 July 2008). "Hansel and Gretel no grim tale at all". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  9. ↑ Picard, Anna (4 July 2010). "Review: Don Giovanni, Holland Park". The Independent.
  10. ↑ "Don Giovanni, 25 June 2011 - Glyndebourne Festival". glyndebourne.com. Archived from the original on 18 July 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
  11. ↑ Pénavayre, Robert (25 January 2013). "Albert Herring totalement enthousiasmant" [Albert Herring totally thrilling]. Classic Toulouse (in French). Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  12. ↑ Gonçalves, Fabiano (21 May 2013). "Salve Mozart!" [Hail, Mozart!]. movimento.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  13. 1 2 Tuttle, Raymond (2007). "Review - Dukas - Ariane et Barbe-Bleue". classical.net. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  14. 1 2 Lessner, Joanne Sydney (October 2018). "Wolf-Ferrari: I Quattro Rusteghi". Opera News. Vol. 83, no. 4. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  15. ↑ Ashley, Tim (2 April 2012). "Review: I Quattro Rusteghi". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  16. 1 2 Reed, Peter (November 2017). "Mark Elder conducts Wagner's Parsifal with Lars Cleveman, Katarina Dalayman & John Tomlinson [Hallé]". classicalsource.com. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  17. ↑ Proudfoot, Michael (December 2015). "Lucia di Lammermoor and Le Nozze di Figaro". Opera Magazine. UK. Retrieved 17 April 2026 – via divaopera.com.
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