Judith Nelson (Soprano)

Born: September 10, 1939 - Chicago, Illinois, USA

The American soprano, Judith (Anne) Nelson (née Manes). is acknowledged as one of the world’s leading singers of the baroque repertoire.

Judith Nelson studied at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. She sang with music groups of the University of Chicago and the University of California at Berkley.

Judith Nelson made her operatic debut as Drusilla in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea in Brussels in 1979. She has performed and recorded as a soloist throughout the USA and Europe in concerts, operas, and for radio and Television. Judith Nelson has sung with most of the major baroque ensembles and orchestra in both continents, including the Academy of Ancient Music, Tafelmusik, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Aston Magna, and Concerto Vocale. She has also sung in Brussels, Innsbruck, and at La Fenice in Venice. Recent performances included appearances with the Baltimore, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. Although she is particularly noted for he performance of Baroque music, she also introduced compositions by American and English Composers.

Source: Liner notes to Nonesuch CD 9-79036-2 (Mass in B minor, conducted by Rifkin, 1982); Liner notes to Koch International Classics CD 3-7235-2 (Cantatas BWV 182, BWV 131 & BWV 4, conducted b Jeffrey Thomas, 1995); Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of 20^th Century Classical Musicians (1997)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (April 2001)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Simon Preston

Soprano

BWV 243a

Joshua Rifkin

Soprano

BWV 210, BWV 232

Jeffrey Thomas

Soprano

BWV 4, BWV 198, BWV 232

Links to other Sites

Raphi's Serious Singers List: Sopranos: Judith Nelson