Anna Steiger

Anna Justine Steiger, born February 13, 1960,[1][2] is a British and American opera singer who has sung leading soprano and mezzo-soprano roles in British, European and North American opera houses. She has sung many recitals at festivals which have been broadcast live on the BBC, Radio France and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. In 2010, she was invited to participate in the Australian Chamber Music Festival. She is still active as a recitalist and opera singer. She also has a year one Master in Food History from the University François Rabelais de Tours, France.

Early life

Steiger was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of actors Claire Bloom and Rod Steiger.[3]

She trained with Noelle Barker at the Guildhall School of Music in London from 1977 to 1983 and then with Vera Rózsa at the National Opera Studio from 1985 to 1986. She won the Sir Peter Pears Award in 1982, the Richard Tauber Prize in 1984, and the John Christie Award in 1985.[1] Anna holds both British and American nationalities.

Career

Her professional debut was as Dorabella in Così fan tutte in 1984 with Opera 80. In 1986 she sang the title role in Monteverdi’s L'incoronazione di Poppea at Glyndebourne, and she returned to sing in many productions there in roles such as Concepción in L'heure espagnole. With Glyndebourne Touring Opera, she sang the role of Sashka in the 1987 world premiere of Nigel Osborne's The Electrification of the Soviet Union.[4]

From 1988, she sang at other opera houses in the UK, including the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, with roles in Parsifal,[5] Jenůfa and The Knot Garden, and the English National Opera in The Makropulos Affair. Abroad, her roles have included Despina in Così fan tutte (Amsterdam, Stuttgart and Zurich), Zerlina in Don Giovanni (Seattle Opera, Stuttgart and Nancy), Governess in The Turn of the Screw (La Fenice), Jenny in Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (Los Angeles Opera),[6] the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos (Opera Theatre of St. Louis),[7] Concepción (New York City Opera and Geneva),[8] Serpetta in La finta giardiniera (Frankfurt and Lausanne), and Damigella in L'incoronazione di Poppea at the Salzburg Festival. She has sung many times with Nicolaus Harnoncourt and in 1991 recorded with him the role of Despina with the Concertgebouw Orchestra for the Teldec/Warner Classics label.[9] Still active in Opera, in 2018 and 2019 she will appear in Verdi's La Traviata at the Capitole of Toulouse, and Rossini's Le Comte Ory at the Opera de Rennes and the Opera de Rouen.

Mid-1990s – present

In the mid-1990s Steiger began concentrating on the mezzo-soprano repertoire and went on to sing:

Still active in opera, in 2018 and 2019 she will appear in Verdi's La Traviata at the Capitole of Toulouse, and Rossini's Le Comte Ory at the Opéra de Rennes and the Opéra de Rouen. She is about to do her first play in Paris, playing Bélise in Molière’s “Les Femmes Savantes” In 2020 she will perform the Old Lady in Bernstein’s “ Candide” at the Opéra de Lausanne.

Discography
  • Bellini: Norma – Julian Reynolds conducting the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, recorded live at Het Muziektheater, Amsterdam, 2005 (Anna Steiger as Clotilde). Label: Opus Arte (DVD)
  • Mozart: Così fan tutte – Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducting the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, 1991 (Anna Steiger as Despina). Label: Teldec/Warner Classics (CD)
  • Milhaud: Les malheurs d'Orphée – Robert Ziegler conducting the Matrix Ensemble, 1991 (Anna Steiger as Euridice). Label: AVS (CD)
  • Ravel: L'heure espagnole – Simon Rattle conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra, recorded live at Glyndebourne Festival Opera, 1987 (Anna Steiger as Concepción). Label: Kultur/Warner Classics (DVD)

References
  1. Slonimsky, Nicolas and Kuhn, Laura (eds.) (2001). "Steiger, Anna", Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, 10th Edition, Volume 6. Accessed online via Highbeam, 12 July 2012.
  2. California Births, 1905 - 1995, Anna J. Steiger
  3. Severo, Richard (10 July 2002). "Rod Steiger, 77, Oscar-Winning Character Actor Known for His Intensity and Versatility, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  4. See the Glyndebourne Opera performance database Archived 2016-09-19 at the Wayback Machine for the complete list of Steiger's roles and performances there. Retrieved 6 September 2016
  5. Associated Press (30 January 1988). "Anna Steiger makes her opera debut". The Lewiston Journal. Note "opera debut" in the article title refers to her Covent Garden debut where she appeared as one of the Flower Maidens in Parsifal. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  6. Rockwell, John (20 September 1989). "Review: Brecht-Weill 'Mahagonny,' Set in 20's Hollywood. The New York Times. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  7. Wierzbicki, James (15 June 1991). "'Ariadne's' Music Transcends Confusion". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 11 July 2012 (subscription required).
  8. Rockwell, John (12 November 1990). "Ravel and Sendak, Affectionately Paired". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  9. Blyth, Alan (November 1991). "Review: Così fan tutte, Teldec/Warner Classics", Gramophone, p. 158. Retrieved 11 July 2012
  10. Dutch National Opera archive, Il ritourno d'Ulisse in patria (1992-93), retrieved 6 September 2016 (in Dutch)
  11. Dutch National Opera archive, Falstaff (1993-94), retrieved 6 September 2016 (in Dutch)
  12. Dutch National Opera archive, La traviata (1997-98), retrieved 6 September 2016 (in Dutch)
  13. Dutch National Opera archive, Le nozze di Figaro (2000-01). Retrieved 6 September 2016 (in Dutch)
  14. Stevens, David (29 March 2000). "Nino Rota, Chasing the Straw Hat". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  15. Dutch National Opera archive, Lucia di Lammermoor (2007-08). Retrieved 6 September 2016 (in Dutch)
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