Turner, (Dame) Eva

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Turner, (Dame) Eva (b Oldham, 1892; d London, 1990). Eng. soprano. Joined ch., Carl Rosa Opera, 1916, singing with them to 1924 (solo début as Page in Tannhäuser, 1916). CG début 1920 (with Carl Rosa co.). Went to Milan 1924 for audition with Toscanini. La Scala début 1924. Thereafter est. as leading dramatic sop. in It. and Wagnerian repertory, particularly as Brünnhilde and as Turandot (although she did not create the role). Sang with BNOC, then CG 1928–30, 1933, 1935–9, 1947–8. Member of Chicago Opera 1928–9, 1938. Prof. of singing, Oklahoma Univ. 1950–9. Taught at RAM in London from 1959. One of orig. 16 soloists in Vaughan Williams's Serenade to Music 1938. DBE 1962.