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Jane EaglenEnglish singer, dramatic soprano
Date of Birth: 04.04.1960
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Jane Eaglen: English Soprano
- Training and Early Career
- Recognition and Performances
- Teaching and Honors
- Membership and Master Classes
Jane Eaglen: English Soprano
Early Life and EducationJane Eaglen, an English opera singer and dramatic soprano, is known for her interpretation of works by Richard Wagner and her leading roles in Bellini's "Norma" and Puccini's "Turandot". She was born on April 4, 1960, in Lincoln, England. Eaglen's interest in music was first noticed by her neighbor, and at the age of five, she began taking piano lessons, which continued until she turned sixteen. Her piano teacher suggested that she develop her vocal talents, and for about a year, she studied with a local teacher who firmly believed in her talent and predicted that she would one day sing both Norma and Brünnhilde. At that time, Eaglen knew nothing about opera, but she noticed that her voice sounded like the boys in the church choir - tender and pure - and she realized that this sound was not suitable for pop music.
Training and Early Career
The Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London rejected her application, and at the age of eighteen, Eaglen auditioned for Joseph Ward, a vocal teacher at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Ward recognized her potential, and Miss Eaglen became his student. The professor identified Eaglen as a dramatic soprano and began preparing her voice for Wagner and Bellini. In 1984, she joined the English National Opera and spent a couple of years performing the roles of First Lady in Mozart's "Die Zauberflöte" and Berta in Rossini's "Il barbiere di Siviglia". She then sang Leonora in Verdi's "Il Trovatore" and Santuzza in Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana", which drew the audience's attention to her. Eaglen burst onto the major opera scene when she played Donna Anna in Mozart's "Don Giovanni" at the Scottish Opera, and sang the roles of Tosca, Norma, and Brünnhilde for this opera company. In 1994, she made her American debut as Norma at the Seattle Opera, stepping in at the last minute to replace Carol Vaness. Two weeks later, she performed the role of Brünnhilde at Opera Pacific, replacing Ealynn Voss. Her first performance as Isolde took place in 1998 in Seattle, where she regularly returned. In 1999, she reprised the role at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and in 2000, she appeared on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Her repertoire includes roles such as Ariadne in Richard Strauss' "Ariadne auf Naxos", Senta in Wagner's "Der Fliegende Holländer", Ortrud in Wagner's "Lohengrin", the title role in Ponchielli's "La Gioconda", Lady Macbeth in Verdi's "Macbeth", and many others.
Recognition and Performances
Eaglen performs in concerts and at opera festivals with the accompaniment of major symphony orchestras around the world. Among her performances, she has sung Richard Strauss' "Four Last Songs" with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Czech Philharmonic, the final scene of his "Salome" with the New York Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra, and Verdi's "Requiem" with the Orchestra of St Cecilia in Rome. Her solo albums include arias by Wagner, Bellini, Strauss, Mozart, compositions by Gustav Mahler, and many of them have been honored with international music awards.
Teaching and Honors
Continuing to perform, Eaglen has increased her teaching load. In 2005, she became an honorary Doctor of Music at McGill University in Montreal. She teaches at the Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music, the Young Artists Program of the Seattle Opera, and the Cardiff International Academy of Voice. In July 2009, Eaglen received an honorary doctorate from Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln in Lincoln.
Membership and Master Classes
In 2010, Jane Eaglen became an honorary member of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, where she conducts master classes and gives solo concerts.
