Miriam Murphy
A native of Tralee, County Kerry, Miriam began her studies under Dr. Veronica Dunne at the DIT College of Music in Dublin. During that time she won every major Irish competition, including the Joan Sutherland Trophy in the Dr Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition, the Gervase Elwes Cup at the Dublin Feis Coeil and the Yamaha International Foundation Bursary. She also won silver medal for Ireland at the International Competition for Young Musicians in Antwerp. Miriam embarked on postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London where she immediately made her mark by winning the coveted Gold Medal for Opera. Other prizes included the Leverhulme Trust Award, the Dame Eva Turner Award, the Principal's Discretionary Award for outstanding Musical Contribution and the Principal's Prize for Opera Performance. Having graduated with a DipRAM, she continued her studies at the National Opera Studio. Miriam also won the prestigious Bayreuth Bursary and was the first ever recipient of the Rita Hunter Bursary. Last August she was also one of the two winners in the 2006 Seattle Opera International Wagner Competition.
Miriam started her career as a mezzo-soprano, performing Dorabella in Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte under the baton of Sir Colin Davis and Frasquita in Bizet's Carmen. She subsequently made the move to soprano, where her operatic appearances have since included Overseer Elektra at the Edinburgh International Festival, Woman Convict Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk for the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, Lady Macbeth in Verdi's Macbeth, Santuzza Cavalleria Rusticana with English Touring Opera, Elizabeth in excerpts from Verdi's Don Carlos at the Royal Albert Hall and title role Anna Bolena at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. Recent engagements include Abigaille Nabucco (concert performance) and Santuzza Cavalleria Rusticana for Haddo House Opera. Miriam also covered and sang the role of Lady Macbeth in the spring of 2006 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden when Violetta Urmana withdrew at short notice.
In the concert hall, Miriam's appearances have included Verdi's Requiem conducted by James Lockhart at the Barbican, Elijah for the Ulster Orchestra, Beethoven's Mass in C at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde under Sir John Eliot Gardiner for the BBC Proms (also recorded with Edward Carl and the Royal Academy Orchestra) and Beethoven 9th Symphony for the RPO and at the Barbican Hall, London.
Engagements in 2007/2008 include covering the role of Isolde Tristan und Isolde for the Glyndebourne Festival, Lady in Waiting Macbeth for Glyndebourne on Tour and Isolde’s Liebestod for the RTE National Symphony Orchestra (Ireland), cover Kundry Parsifal for the Opéra National de Paris, Bastille and her debut in the title role Turandot for Bilbao Opera. Subsequent engagements include Gerhilde Die Walküre for Seattle Opera and the Overseer in Elektra at Covent Garden.
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
