Mezzo-soprano Dame Sarah Connolly grew up in County Durham and studied piano and singing at the Royal College of Music. Her broad repertoire encompasses everything from Handel’s heroic ‘trouser roles’ to Mahler symphonies, French song and a commitment to promoting new music. She has appeared in the world’s greatest opera houses and gave a memorable performance at Last Night of the Proms dressed as Lord Nelson. Her most recent recording is the Complete Songs of Duparc, with pianist Malcolm Martineau (alongside Samling Artists Nicky Spence and William Thomas).
You can see Dame Sarah in masterclass with our eight new Samling Artists at Marchmont House on 3 December 2022.
My earliest musical memory …
My parents took me to Darlington Civic theatre when I was about 6 years old to hear The Magic Flute. I just remember the excitement, the drama – the huge snake, and orchestra and voices sounding so near and fresh. Dad played a lot of classical records at home but hearing it live was mind blowing.
The most recent live performance I saw was…
Rigoletto at The Met opera. I wasn’t bowled over I must say but the soprano Erin Morley sang and acted so beautifully as Gilda and coped very well with a stage exit door with no handle!
My three essential travel items are…
Earl Grey tea leaves ( and strainer), my iPhone and Olaplex hair conditioner.
My favourite place in North East England is …
Whitby and Sandsend. Almost every childhood summer holiday was spent on the freezing beach braving the numbingly cold sea. Getting a stick of Rock in Whitby was our treat and walking around the town which was always so bustling and noisy with life. We enjoyed the fairground rides and I usually got a wasp in my candy floss!
A song composer more people should discover is …
Clara Schumann. She only wrote a few songs by comparison to her husband Robert but she was a really gifted melodist with her own style of piano accompaniments (being a supremely gifted concert pianist).
The opera character I most admire is …
Wagner’s Brünnhilde. She embodies some of the best virtues; strength, honesty, empathy, bravery and tenderness.
When I have time off, I like to …
cycle through villages (though not if it’s too hilly), mess about on the beach and sea, cook and drink wine with friends, a spot of gardening, reading and playing the piano.
My advice to young singers is …
work hard at your technique, listen to lots of recordings to discover what you like, study languages and find the music YOU love to sing. If your teacher hands you an aria that after a month you hate, find something that you like instead. We need to interpret the music and the character and that’s just not possible if there’s no fondness or connection.
