Claire Bradshaw

Claire Bradshaw is one of the most accomplished British mezzo-sopranos of her generation. Her career has featured principal roles with major opera companies and many appearances on the concert platform. Of her recent work singing Suzuki for Welsh National Opera (with Amanda Roocroft as Madam Butterfly ), the Times wrote " Claire Bradshaw is an exemplary Suzuki" while the Guardian stated that " Claire Bradshaw's expressively sung Suzuki matched Roocroft in intensity". In Autumn 2008 Claire will again work with Amanda Roocroft as they sing Emilia and Desdemona respectively in Verdi's Otello (with Dennis O'Neill as Otello ) with Welsh National Opera and in Autumn 2009 Claire will again sing Suzuki (Butterfly) for WNO.

Claire recently sang with José Carreras in an Opera Gala performance in London and also performed in Opera Gala performances in Paris. In late 2007 Claire Bradshaw made debut performances with the prestigious Huddersfield Choral Society with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra , with the Oxford Bach Choir and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and with the Choir of King's College, Cambridge with the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Claire sang the title role in Carmen at London's Royal Albert Hall in Raymond Gubbay's acclaimed production, receiving rave reviews. Following a year away from singing after the arrival of her first child, Claire resumed her busy career with a continued series of concert and opera engagements including Suzuki Madama Butterfly (Welsh National Opera, Spring 2004). Her roles in 2005 included Maddalena Rigoletto and Lola Cavalleria Rusticana for Welsh National Opera in the opening seasons at the new opera house in Cardiff. Throughout 2006 Claire performed the role of Suzuki Madama Butterfly in London, France and Switzerland.

Claire Bradshaw was born in Yorkshire and studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and at The National Opera Studio. Whilst at the R.N.C.M. she won all of the college's main vocal awards and was also a finalist in the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Awards . Claire currently studies with David Pollard.

While still at the National Opera Studio, Claire made her professional debut with Scottish Opera in the role of Cherubino in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro . Since then her roles for Scottish Opera have included Hansel Hansel and Gretel , Maddalena Rigoletto and Dryad Ariadne auf Naxos (at the Edinburgh International Festival) . Other roles have included Suzuki Madama Butterfly, Mercedes Carmen, 2 nd Lady The Magic Flute , Varvara Katja Kabanova for Welsh National Opera and Lisetta Il Mondo della Luna (Haydn) for Opera Zuid (Netherlands). Claire has also performed in the Spoleto Festival (Italy) in the role of the Innkeeper's Wife in Janacek's Cunning Little Vixen with Richard Hickox.

Claire created the role of the Dolphin in Alec Roth's Arion and the Dolphin which was commissioned by English National Opera's Baylis Programme. She also sang further performances of Arion and the Dolphin in Singapore with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Claire sang the role of 3 rd Medium with Richard Hickox and the London Symphony Orchestra in a rare performance of Vaughan-Williams' opera The Poisoned Kiss at the Barbican, London. Claire has also sung concert performances of Suzuki Madama Butterfly with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra with Junichi Hirokami and performed as soloist in an Opera Gala with the Hallé Orchestra.

Claire's concert engagements have included Handel's Messiah and Judas Maccabeus with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra conducted by Nicholas McGegan, with Stephen Cleobury at King's College, Cambridge, Beethoven's Choral Symphony in Austria and with choral societies throughout Britain. She has given performances of Bach's St. Matthew Passion in Copenhagen with Moshe Atzmon and appeared as soloist in concerts with the English Chamber Orchestra in Europe. Claire is also a regular guest artist on Richard Baker P&O Classical Cruises and   also appeared as soloist at Buckingham Palace on the occasion of HRH the Prince of Wales 50 th Birthday celebrations

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