Ann Murray facts for kids
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Ann Murray (born August 27, 1949) is a famous Irish mezzo-soprano. A mezzo-soprano is a type of female singer whose voice is lower than a soprano but higher than a contralto. She is known for her amazing performances in operas around the world.
Life and Career
Ann Murray was born in Dublin, Ireland. She showed great musical talent from a young age. She won many awards at the Feis Ceoil, which is an Irish music festival. She studied singing at the College of Music in Dublin. She also studied arts and music at University College Dublin.
In 1968, Ann made her first opera performance in Ireland. She sang a shepherd's role in a concert version of Tosca. She then continued her studies in England. In 1974, she made her official stage debut. She performed as Alcestis in Christoph Willibald Gluck's opera Alceste.
Since then, Ann Murray has sung in many of the world's biggest opera houses. She is especially famous for her roles in operas by George Frideric Handel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Richard Strauss.
She often performs at the Royal Opera House in London. She also sings at the English National Opera and the Bavarian State Opera in Germany. In 1988, she was the main singer for a special project. It was a collection of all the songs by the composer Franz Schubert.
Ann Murray still has strong connections to Ireland. She helped support young artists in Dublin's Opera Theatre Company. In 2010, she became a professor of singing. She teaches at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Awards and Honours
Ann Murray has received many important awards for her contributions to music.
- In 1997, she received an honorary doctorate in music. This is a special degree given to someone for their achievements. It was from the National University of Ireland.
- In 1998, she was named Bavarian Kammersängerin. This is a special title given to outstanding opera singers in Bavaria, Germany.
- In 2002, she was made an Honorary Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. This is a very high honour given by the British monarch. It was for her great service to music.
- In 2004, she was given the Bavarian Order of Merit. This is another high award from Bavaria.
Personal Life
Ann Murray was married to the late English tenor (a type of male singer), Philip Langridge. They had one son together, Jonathan, who is also a tenor.
Recordings
Ann Murray has made many recordings throughout her career. These recordings include famous operas and classical songs.
See Also
- Monteverdi: Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria (Raymond Leppard recording)
