Born: 1940 - Dublin, Ireland

The Irish mezzo-soprano, Bernadette Greevy, had concert appearances with with many of the world's great orchestras and numerous recitals in all the major capitals of the world. At the beginning of her illustrious career, a USA recital given by her, evoked the remark by the music critic of the Washington Post “that she would undoubtedly become one of the noble and beloved artists of our time”. She is recognised to be one of the finest mezzo-sopranos singing today. The possessor of a voice of unique richness, she has performed on all five continents with considerable success.

Bernadette Greevy's operatic roles have included: Carmen in Georges Bizet’s popular opera, Eboli in Verdi’s Don Carlos, Azucena in Verdi'a Il Trovatore, Delilah in Camille Saint-Saëns Samson et Dalila, Orfeo in Gluck’s opera Orfeo e Euridice, Lucretia in B. Britten’s Rape of Lucretia, Dido in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Werther by Massenet, Hérodiade in the opera by Massenet, and Ariodante by Händel.

Bernadette Greevy is particularly renowned as a Mahler singer and has performed all his vocal works with orchestra in the 1990's over a four year period in the famous Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, Argentina. She made a tour of the People's Republic of China 1985, giving recitals and holding Master Classes. She gave Recital series at the National Concert Hall in Dublin and on RTE Radio and Television. She has sung Mahler's Ruckert Lieder and the Choral Symphony with the Oslo Philharmonic; the J. Brahms Alto Rhapsody and Elgar's Sea Pictures in Ottawa. In the late 1980's and early 1990's she gave concerts in Denmark, Italy, Spain, USA, France. Finland and Norway; Mahler series in London with the Royal Philharmonic under Charles Dutoit in 1989.

In 2000 Bernadette Greevy became Founder/Artistic Director of the Anna Livia International Opera Festival, a Dublin-based Summer Festival. She has appeared in two of the seasons, first in the name part of Hérodiade in 2000 and as Azucena in Il Trovatore in 2002. Her annual master-classes in the Museum of Modern Art, Dublin have become notable events in the musical life of Dublin. She was the first Artist in Residence of the Dublin Institute of Technology & Faculty of Applied Arts.

Bernadette Greevy has made many fine recordings, including: Händel Arias, Orlando, Ariodante; J. Brahms Lieder; Nuits d'Ete by Berlioz and songs by Henri Duparc, with the Ulster Orchestra (Chandos); Bach Arias; Elgar's Sea Pictures (w/ London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vernon Handley); Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen and Kindertotenlieder, with the RTE Orchestra; Haydn.

Among the awards with which Bernadette Greevy has been honoured, are the Harriet Cohen International Music Award for Outstanding Artistry and the Order of Merit of Malta. She holds honorary Doctorates of Music from the National University of Ireland and Trinity College Dublin. The honour “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice” has been conferred on her by the Holy See.

Source: International Who's Who in Music & International Directory (13^th Edition, 1992/93)Irish Museum of Modern Art Website; Anna Livia International Opera Festival; Wikipdsia Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (July 2006)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

John Beckett

Alto

Arias from BWV 30, BWV 33, BWV 42, BWV 154, BWV 170, BWV 244

Links to other Sites

Irish Museum of Modern Art: Bernadette Greevy leads Concert
Anna Livia International Opera Festival: Bernadette Greevy

Bernadette Greevy (Wikipedia)

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