Pierce, Judith (1930–2003)
Pierce, Judith (1930–2003)
English opera singer. Born Nov 21, 1930, in Lancashire, England; died Oct 9, 2003, in Canterbury; attended Royal Manchester College of Music and Royal College of Music's Opera School; m. Theo Barker, 1955 (died 2001).
Stalwart of Scottish Opera who had a special feeling for works of Benjamin Britten, made debut as Helmwige in Wagner's Die Walküre (1958); had relatively brief career with several major British companies, including Royal Opera, Sadler's Wells, Scottish Opera and English Opera Group; played many comprimario (minor) roles, such as Marianne in Der Rosenkavalier, 2nd lady in The Magic Flute and flower maiden in Parsifal; progressed to more challenging parts, such as Hecuba in Michael Tippett's King Priam, and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni and Elisabeth in Tannhäuser, both for Sadler's Wells; exhumed neglected pieces, portraying Euryanthe in Weber's opera (1962) and title role in Queen of Cornwall, Boughton's Celtic version of Tristan and Isolde; scored huge successes with Britten's English Opera Group and later performed his works with Scottish Opera; played Mrs. Grose in Turn of the Screw at Aldeburgh Festival (1959, 1960) and Lady Billows in Albert Herring with Scottish Opera (1967); continued working with Scottish Opera until 1976, gradually reverting to comprimario status.