Anna Caterina Antonacci Nancy Argenta Cheryl Barker Sophie Bevan Maria Luigia Borsi Rebecca Bottone Sarah-Jane Brandon Christine Brewer Measha Brueggergosman Malin Christensson Aivale Cole Lucy Crowe Sophie Daneman Angela Denoke Evelina Dobračeva Rebecca Evans Nuccia Focile Gelena Gaskarova Angela Gheorghiu Heidi Grant Murphy Susan Gritton Sumi Jo Rosemary Joshua Takesha Meshé Kizart Adriana Kucerova Anna Leese Dame Felicity Lott Irina Mataeva Emma Matthews Geraldine McGreevy Lisa Milne Tatiana Pavlovskaya Ailyn Perez Miah Persson Anna Prohaska Patricia Racette Dorothea Röschmann Amanda Roocroft Kate Royal Anna Samuil Sylvia Schwartz Albina Shagimuratova Ekaterina Siurina Lydia Teuscher Indra Thomas Manuela Uhl Janice Watson Ida Falk Winland Victoria Yastrebova

Lucy Crowe

Video

Introduction

Born in Staffordshire Lucy Crowe has established herself as one of the leading lyric sopranos of her generation. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music. In 2002 she received the Royal Overseas Gold Medal and in 2005 second prize in the Kathleen Ferrier Awards. In great demand in opera, concert and recital the conductors she has worked with include Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Lawrence Cummings, Trevor Pinnock, Richard Egarr, Harry Christophers, Richard Hickox, Sakari Oramo, Paul Daniel, Sir Charles Mackerras, Mark Minkowski and William Christie. She made her operatic debuts with Scottish Opera as Sophie in 'Der Rosenkavalier' and English National Opera as Poppea in 'Agrippina' both to great critical acclaim. She has since performed Sophie in London at the Royal Opera House and in Berlin at the Deutsche Oper. Other roles include Susanna in 'Le Nozze di Figaro', Elisa in 'Il Re Pastore', Drusilla in 'The Coronation of Poppea', Nanetta in Verdi's 'Falstaff' and Belinda in 'Dido and Aeneas'. She will make her Bayerische Staatsoper debut as Sophie.

This is for information only. Please contact Sophie Dand for an up-to-date biography.

Press Reviews

Villazon / Gabrieli Players / Royal Festival Hall - May 2010

...the rising British star Lucy Crowe, a superlative Handelian who brought the house down with her captivating account of Cleopatra's great lament, Se pieta (If you feel no pity), and a dazzling Da tempeste (Ravaged by storms), from Giulio Cesare.
Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times, 9 May 2010

Lucy Crowe’s breathtakingly vivacious delivery of two of Cleopatra’s arias from Giulio Cesare — just as characterful as Villazón, but with immaculate vocal fireworks as well.
Richard Morrison, The Times, 5 May 2010

Lucy Crowe handled a couple of Cleopatra's arias from Giulio Cesare with all the bright radiant tone and effortless facility they deserve.
Intermezzo, 5 May 2010

Crowe…triumphed in her solos from Julius Caesar, bringing the house down with the second.
George Hall, The Guardian, 4 May 2010

…the soprano Lucy Crowe made a vocally glamorous supporting act in arias from Giulio Cesare.
Richard Fairman, Financial Times, 4 May 2010

She made much of the exquisite pain of those keening chromatics in Cleopatra’s “Se pieta” and she was deliciously indecent in the gleeful “Da tempeste” adding more decorative embellishment than might have seemed possible.
Edward Seckerson, The Independent, 4 May 2010

Jacqueline du Pre Music Building, Oxford – Recital with Anna Tilbrook – April 2010

Lucy Crowe is one of Britain’s most exciting young sopranos. Since graduating from the Royal College of Music in 2004 she has achieved a series of hits both in opera and on the concert circuit.
…Crowe has a genuine passion for the music she performs, which communicates itself strongly in performance. She is equally at home in operatic roles and in the world of folk. There is something of the unpretentiousness of Kathleen Ferrier about her. She has tremendous technical control, a natural engaging style, and her singing never seems laboured or mannered.
… Crowe’s Schumann renditions were powerfully emotional, and the Berg Seven Early Songs wonderfully rich and seductive.
…Her unaccompanied She moved thro' the fair held the audience spellbound. The encore of Britten’s arrangement of The Salley Gardens was a perfect ending. Anna Tilbrook was excellent throughout as accompanist – a strong rapport clearly evident between these two accomplished artists.
Simon Collings, The Oxford Times, 14 April 2010

‘Fairy Queen’ – Les Arts Florissants, Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York

…and Lucy Crowe, who gave a shapely performance of Juno’s “Thrice Happy Lovers” while suspended in midair.
Allan Kozinn, The New York Times, 24 March 2010

'Der Rosenkavalier' - Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

The great joy of the performance was Lucy Crowe's Sophie - I don't say revelation because she has been making a splash for years for those who care to see. It's a lovely big radiant voice made for the role...Crowe's voice has a bloom at the top that recalls the timbre of some of the great German singers.
Robert Thicknesse, Opera Now, March/April 2010

Lucy Crowe's lovely, irrepressible Sophie has a big enough soprano to suggest a Marschallin in the making...
John Allison, The Sunday Telegraph, 13 December 2009

But the most exciting element of the evening was the Sophie of the young British soprano Lucy Crowe, floating through the ecstasy of the Presentation of the Rose with silvery clarity and painting a totally plausible figure of a gauche, gold-digging minx. Here is an outstanding talent...
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph, 8 December 2009

Lucy Crowe’s delightfully animated Sophie, a mesmerising turmoil of fluctuating emotions, warms up to some luscious singing, especially above the stave in Act III.
Richard Morrison, The Times, 9 December 2009

Lucy Crowe is a bigger-voiced Sophie than some, and the role is intelligently acted.
Martin Kettle, The Guardian, 8 December 2009

Crowe gives a performance of terrific spirit and charm in the role displaying fabulous control above the stave.
Edward Seckerson, The Independent, 8 December 2009

Seasons/Creation Tour - Monteverdi Choir & Orchestra - Carnegie Hall

As Hannah, the soprano Lucy Crowe sang with focused, often angelic sound and supple phrasing.
Anthony Tommasini, New York Times, 16 October 2009

The Fairy Queen - Glyndebourne Festival Opera

"Lucy Crowe dazzles with her every appearance, a young singer extravagantly blessed with look-at-me-and-listen charisma..."
Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times, 28 June 2009

"And Lucy Crowe, as golden in tone as in coiffure, descends on to the stage like some 1950s Hollywood goddess."
Richard Morrison, The Times, 22 June 2009

"…and the classy lineup of soloists is led by Lucy Crowe (full-on and assertive)…"
Tim Ashley, The Guardian, 22 June 2009

"…a cast of young singers included the excellent Lucy Crowe…"
Richard Fairman, The Financial Times, 23 June 2009

"Christie’s conducting of the OAE is similarly inspired and there’s fine singing, from Lucy Crowe…"
Barry Millington, Evening Standard, 22 June 2009

Dido and Aeneas - Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

"Lucy Crowe is wonderful and her vitality, lovely soprano voice and light step give the production an animation missing elsewhere."
Kate, Kellaway, The Observer, 6 April 2009

"....with the delightful Lucy Crowe as Belinda."
Hugh Canning, The Times, 5 April 2009

"Lucy Crowe made a delightful Belinda."
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph, 1 April 2009

Queen Elizabeth Hall - 'The Return of Tobias' - OAE/Norrington

"...and the beautifully poised singing of Lucy Crowe as Sara. She rose to the challenge of music that exploited every range of her soprano."
Hilary Finch, The Times, 12 February 2009

Elijah, City Hall, Glasgow - Scottish Chamber Orchestra

"This was Elijah reinvented and rediscovered; a dramatic journey through anguish and despair to radiance and serenity, projected through the wondrous voices of some of the best singers in the world, soprano Lucy Crowe, mezzo Karen Cargill, tenor Andrew Staples, bass Jonathan Lemalu, with the SCO and its chorus performing as though there was no tomorrow.
Well there is a tomorrow, and a re-assessment of Elijah has to be high on the agenda after this extraordinary revelation."
Michael Tumelty, The Glasgow Herald, 2 February 2009

Les Musiciens du Louvre - Hail! Bright Cecilia - Barbican Centre

"The show was stolen, however, by Lucy Crowe, who since her success in the 2005 Kathleen Ferrier Awards has blossomed into a major talent. Her ravishing, glinting tone in Handel’s aria What Passion, combined with deeply expressive cello-playing by Nils Wieboldt, caused the audience to catch its collective breath for five minutes."
Barry Millington, The Evening Standard, 19 January 2009

The Judgment of Paris - Early Opera Company - Chandos

"Casting is perfect: as Venus, Lucy Crowe's melting lyricism, delicately underpinned by plucked and bowed instruments, is irresistible."
Berta Joncus, BBC Music Magazine, May 2009

"Really stylish singing by Lucy Crowe..."
Nicholas Kenyon, The Guardian, 12 April 2009

"Lucy Crowe, accompanied by her soft flute, is feminine and beguiling – no wonder she wins the Golden Apple."
Ed Breen, MusicalCriticism.com, 1 April 2009

Repertoire

Opera Repertoire
Handel 'Acis and Galatea' (Belinda)
Handel 'Agrippina' (Poppea)
Handel 'Saul' (Michal)
Handel 'Semele' (Iris)
Janacek 'The Cunning Little Vixen' (Vixen)
Monteverdi 'L'incoronazione di Poppea' (Drusilla)
Mozart 'Il Re Pastore' (Elisa)
Mozart 'Le Nozze di Figaro' (Susanna)
Purcell 'The Fairy Queen' (Juno)
Strauss, Richard 'Der Rosenkavalier' (Sophie)
Verdi 'Falstaff' (Nanetta)
Concert RepertoireBach, JS 'Jauchzett Gott'
Bach, JS 'B Minor Mass'
Bach, JS 'Christmas Oratorio'
Bach, JS 'Magnificat'
Bach, JS 'St John Passion'
Bach, JS 'St Mark Passion'
Bach, JS 'St Matthew Passion'
Britten 'Les Illuminations'
Britten 'Praise we great men'
Gounod 'Messe Solonelle'
Handel 'Acis and Galatea'
Handel Cantata: 'Crudel Tiranno Amor'
Handel 'Dixit Dominus'
Handel 'Gloria'
Handel 'Laudate pueri dominum'
Handel 'Messiah'
Handel 'Ode for the Birthday of Queen Ann'
Handel 'Saeviat tellus inter rigore'
Handel 'Salve Regina'
Handel 'Samson'
Handel 'Saul'
Handel 'Solomon'
Handel 'St Bernard's Mass'
Haydn 'A Little Organ Mass'
Haydn 'Harmoniemesse'
Haydn Magnificats in E Flat and D
Haydn Nelson Mass
Haydn 'Ode on the Birthday of Queen Ann'
Haydn 'The Creation'
Haydn 'The Seasons'
Mendelssohn 'Elijah'
Mendelssohn 'Hear My Prayer'
Mendelssohn 'Lobgesang'
Mozart 'Bella mia Fiamma'
Mozart 'Ch'io mi scordi di te'
Mozart Coronation Mass
Mozart 'Exsultate Jubilate'
Mozart Mass in C Minor (So I and II)
Mozart Requiem
Pergolesi Stabat Mater
Poulenc Gloria
Rutter Requiem
Symanowski Stabat Mater
Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem
Vaughan Williams Pastoral Symphony
Vaughan Williams Serenade to Music
Vivaldi Gloria