Opera Singer. A mezzo soprano who had a distinguished career on both sides of the Atlantic, she shall perhaps be best remembered for her Rossini interpretations. Raised on the Welsh coast, she manifested her talent early, studied at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama, in 1952 joined Opera for All, and after refining her skills made her 1959 Sadler's Wells Opera (now, English National Opera) bow as Jezibaba in "Rusalka", Antonin Dvorak's telling of the Little Mermaid legend. During her decade with Sadler's Wells, Patricia made her name in a number of Rossini roles, among them Rosina in "The Barber of Saville", Isoler from "La comte Ory", Isabella of "L'Italiana in Algeri", Pippo in "La grazza ladra", and the title lead of "La Cenerentola". Her other assignments included both Marcellina and Cherubino from Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro", Herminer of Britten's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", the Witch in Engelbert Humperdinck's "Hansel und Gretel", and the title lead of Gilbert and Sullivan's "Iloanthe"; she sang frequently in Scotland, made her 1967 Covent Garden debut as Zerlina from Mozart's "Don Giovanni", had her 1979 American bow with the Washington National Opera, and In 1987 was heard at the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Marcellina. Moving to Toronto, she was for many years a professor at the University of Toronto and a sought-after voice teacher. At her death from the effects of advanced age, she could be heard on studio preservations of Monteverdi's "Madrigals" and Massenet's "Manon" as well as on a number of 'live' recordings.
Opera Singer. A mezzo soprano who had a distinguished career on both sides of the Atlantic, she shall perhaps be best remembered for her Rossini interpretations. Raised on the Welsh coast, she manifested her talent early, studied at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama, in 1952 joined Opera for All, and after refining her skills made her 1959 Sadler's Wells Opera (now, English National Opera) bow as Jezibaba in "Rusalka", Antonin Dvorak's telling of the Little Mermaid legend. During her decade with Sadler's Wells, Patricia made her name in a number of Rossini roles, among them Rosina in "The Barber of Saville", Isoler from "La comte Ory", Isabella of "L'Italiana in Algeri", Pippo in "La grazza ladra", and the title lead of "La Cenerentola". Her other assignments included both Marcellina and Cherubino from Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro", Herminer of Britten's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", the Witch in Engelbert Humperdinck's "Hansel und Gretel", and the title lead of Gilbert and Sullivan's "Iloanthe"; she sang frequently in Scotland, made her 1967 Covent Garden debut as Zerlina from Mozart's "Don Giovanni", had her 1979 American bow with the Washington National Opera, and In 1987 was heard at the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Marcellina. Moving to Toronto, she was for many years a professor at the University of Toronto and a sought-after voice teacher. At her death from the effects of advanced age, she could be heard on studio preservations of Monteverdi's "Madrigals" and Massenet's "Manon" as well as on a number of 'live' recordings.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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