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OperaLovers - Share the Passion

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Interview with Patricia Bardon

On everything from early ambitions to become Ireland's new Tina Turner to the joys of playing Carmen

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There's no doubt that Patricia Bardon has had a very long and distinguished career. Regarded as one of the best and most versatile mezzos in the world, she certainly started young. As runner-up in the inaugural Cardiff Singer of the World competition at the tender age of 18 she's managed her career so carefully that she didn't burn out young - a lesson to all young singers. She describes her success in Cardiff as 'double edged', as it catapulted her into the world of opera before she even knew what opera really was.

In this interview she talks candidly about her early influences, the pleasure of working with colleagues like Domingo, the few roles she still looks forward to tackling and the challenges of life as a jetsetting, working Mum.

In recent years, Patricia Bardon has become particularly known for her work singing Handel and Rossini and to showcase this, Opera Rara have kindly permitted us to use an excerpt from their recording of the rarely performed Rossini Opera La Donna del Lago.Please click here if you're interested in purchasing the CD.One review of her performance as Malcolm said:

Patricia Bardon’s lush-toned Malcolm Graeme — the heroine’s true love — is the next best thing I’ve heard in this opera to the immortal Marilyn Horne .......... Rossini's Donna del Lago, Edinburgh International Festival - Hugh Canning, The Times - August 2006

If you want to read more, there's a good recent article on the Musical Criticism website. You can see it by clicking here.

To see her in performance, she's currently starring as Carmen at Welsh National Opera which will be touring the UK over the next few months. Click here to find details. In May she'll be performing Ottavia/Poppea at the Oslo Opera Click here for information, while her performance in the Ring at the Met begins in September. Click here for more information.