Elizabeth Atherton

Lyric soprano Elizabeth Atherton is equally at home on the opera stage or concert platform. Her versatility as musician and actress means that she has sung roles ranging from Handel and Mozart through to Bizet and Britten, and she had the roles of Eurydice in Sir Harrison Birtwistle’s opera The Corridor and Medea The Cure created for her to critical acclaim.

Having won several prestigious prizes including the Maggie Teyte Prize, Elizabeth’s debut was as Helena in Midsummer Night’s Dream (English Touring Opera). She subsequently became an Associate Artist at Welsh National Opera, performing roles including Mozart’s Countess and Pamina, and has since performed regularly at Opera North, enjoying much success with roles including Mozart’s Fiordiligi and Britten’s Governess.

In concert, Elizabeth has worked with such eminent conductors as Sir Mark Elder, Sir Andrew Davis, Sir Charles Mackerras, Vladimir Jurowski, Sir Neville Mariner, Pierre Boulez and Thierry Fischer. Highlights include performances with BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Symphony, London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano, Orchestre de Paris, Hong Kong Philharmonic and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

A committed recitalist, Elizabeth has appeared with Iain Burnside, Malcolm Martineau and Roger Vignoles, including appearances at the Aldeburgh Festival and Wigmore Hall. She broadcasts regularly on BBC Radio 3, including Mahler and Strauss Lieder with BBC Symphony and Jiri Belohlàvek, and her discography includes Liszt’s Via Crucis and Missa Choralis (Corydon Singers/Matthew Best), Classic Children’s Songs with Roderick Williams and Iain Burnside, Saul (The Sixteen/Harry Christophers) and Britten’s On this Island with Malcolm Martineau.