Mary Nelson
Born in Northern Ireland, Mary Nelson studied at the Royal Academy of Music, where she was recently elected as an Associate.
Mary was a company principal with English National Opera, where her roles included Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, Dalinda in Ariodante, Atalanta in Xerxes, Trash in The Fairy Queen (including performances in the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona), Wood Nymph in Dvorák’s Rusalka, Amor in Orpheus and Eurydice, Pamina in The Magic Flute, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas and Lucia in the David MacVicar production of The Rape of Lucretia for ENO and the Aldeburgh Festival which was broadcast on BBC 2 and Radio 3.
Elsewhere, she has sung the role of Carolina in Cimarosa’s A Secret Marriage for Opera North and the role of Echo in a concert performance of Ariadne auf Naxos at the Barbican with the City of London Sinfonia conducted by Richard Hickox, both to critical acclaim. She also sang Poulenc’s Gloria at the Royal Opera House for Kenneth MacMillan’s ballet. Mary made her debut at Castleward Opera as Gilda in Rigoletto, returning the following season to sing Pamina in the company’s production of The Magic Flute.
A popular oratorio and concert soloist, Mary has performed Mozart’s Requiem and Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the City of London Sinfonia at the Barbican, Vivaldi’s La Senna Festeggiante with The King’s Consort in The Netherlands and Spain, Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and Handel’s Gloria with the Irish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Nicholas McGegan and Bach’s St. John Passion with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. In addition she has performed Bach’s Magnificat and Vivaldi’s Gloria with the English Chamber Orchestra, Handel’s Messiah with Sir David Willcocks at the Royal Albert Hall, Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and a series of ‘Viennese Evenings’ with the Ulster Orchestra. Further engagements include performances of Handel’s Alexander’s Feast with conductor Jane Glover and the Music of the Baroque in Chicago, Mozart’s Requiem with the Hallé at The Bridgewater Hall and with the Israel Camarata, Brahms’ Requiem with the Dutch Symphony Orchestra, a concert performance of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel with Jane Glover at the BBC Proms, Faure’s La Fête étrange at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, an Opera Gala in Cork, Poulenc Gloria and Fauré Requiem in Guildford Cathedral, a recital in Killaloe Cathedral, Messiah with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Mozart Mass in C minor with the English Chamber Orchestra, Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Ulster Orchestra at the BBC Proms and R. Strauss Four Last Songs with the Ulster Youth Orchestra.
An experienced recitalist, Mary has given concerts at the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room, Kettle’s Yard (Cambridge), the Honiton, Chester, Gower, Cambridge festivals and at Queen’s Festival, Belfast. She also recently undertook a recital tour of Argentina to great critical acclaim. Recent and future engagements include Messiah in Brno, Piacere in Handel’s Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno for the Early Opera Company, Paukenmesse for BBC Northern Ireland, Pamina The Magic Flute for English National Opera and Mass in B Minor in Keele.
Promoters please note: if you wish to include this biography in a concert programme etc, please contact Hazard Chase to ensure that you receive the most up to date version.
Email: Lucy Goddard
