Della Jones
Encyclopedia
Della Jones is a Welsh mezzo-soprano
, particularly well-known for her interpretations of works by Handel
, Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, and Britten.
, Wales
. She studied at the Royal College of Music
, where she won the Kathleen Ferrier
Memorial Scholarship, and later in Geneva, where she made her professional debut in 1970, as Feodor
and Olga
.
She joined the English National Opera
in 1977 where she created the role of Dolly in Iain Hamilton
's Anna Karenina
in 1981, and the Royal Opera House
in 1983, and began appearing abroad notably in France, Italy, and the United States.
Her repertoire ranges from baroque
to contemporary works, with a specialty in the bel canto
operas, notably of Rossini. In the mid 1970s. she began a long association with Opera Rara
, appearing in many long forgotten bel canto works, both on stage and on recording. She can be heard in complete recordings of Donizetti's Ugo, conte di Parigi
, L'assedio di Calais
, Maria Padilla
, Meyerbeer's Il crociato in Egitto
and Rossini's Ricciardo e Zoraide
and made a solo album with the title Della Jones sings Donizetti, in all of which one can appreciate her impeccable coloratura technique and strong feeling for words and music.
For Chandos records she also made albums such as Great Operatic Arias - Della Jones.
Della Jones is still at home in the international opera and concert world today. She currently lives in South-East England.
Mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
, particularly well-known for her interpretations of works by Handel
HANDEL
HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
, Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, and Britten.
Life and career
Della Jones was born in Tonna, near NeathNeath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. She studied at the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
, where she won the Kathleen Ferrier
Kathleen Ferrier
Kathleen Mary Ferrier CBE was an English contralto who achieved an international reputation as a stage, concert and recording artist, with a repertoire extending from folksong and popular ballads to the classical works of Bach, Brahms, Mahler and Elgar...
Memorial Scholarship, and later in Geneva, where she made her professional debut in 1970, as Feodor
Boris Godunov (opera)
Boris Godunov is an opera by Modest Mussorgsky . The work was composed between 1868 and 1873 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is Mussorgsky's only completed opera and is considered his masterpiece. Its subjects are the Russian ruler Boris Godunov, who reigned as Tsar during the Time of Troubles,...
and Olga
Eugene Onegin (opera)
Eugene Onegin, Op. 24, is an opera in 3 acts , by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto was written by Konstantin Shilovsky and the composer and his brother Modest, and is based on the novel in verse by Alexander Pushkin....
.
She joined the English National Opera
English National Opera
English National Opera is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St. Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden...
in 1977 where she created the role of Dolly in Iain Hamilton
Iain Hamilton (composer)
Iain Ellis Hamilton was a Scottish composer.He was educated in London where he became an apprentice engineer, and remained in that profession for the next seven years. He undertook the study of music in his spare time...
's Anna Karenina
Anna Karenina (Hamilton)
Anna Karenina is an opera in three acts by Scottish composer Iain Hamilton. The libretto, based on Leo Tolstoy's novel, Anna Karenina was written by the composer. Anna Karenina was premiered on May 7, 1981 at the London Coliseum by the English National Opera in a performance conducted by Howard...
in 1981, and the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
in 1983, and began appearing abroad notably in France, Italy, and the United States.
Her repertoire ranges from baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
to contemporary works, with a specialty in the bel canto
Bel canto
Bel canto , along with a number of similar constructions , is an Italian opera term...
operas, notably of Rossini. In the mid 1970s. she began a long association with Opera Rara
Opera Rara
Opera Rara is a British record label, founded in the early 1970s by Americans Patric Schmid and Don White to promote concerts of rare and/or forgotten operas by Giacomo Meyerbeer and Donizetti and such other "bel canto" composers as Giovanni Pacini, Saverio Mercadante, and Federico Ricci.The...
, appearing in many long forgotten bel canto works, both on stage and on recording. She can be heard in complete recordings of Donizetti's Ugo, conte di Parigi
Ugo, conte di Parigi
Ugo, conte di Parigi is a tragedia lirica, or tragic opera, in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Felice Romani wrote the Italian libretto after Hippolyte-Louis-Florent Bis's Blanche d'Aquitaine...
, L'assedio di Calais
L'assedio di Calais
L'assedio di Calais is a melodramma lirico, or opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvatore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto after Luigi Marchionni's play and, secondarily, Luigi Henry's ballet , both based on Pierre Du Belloy's play Le siège de Calais...
, Maria Padilla
Maria Padilla
Maria Padilla is a melodramma, or opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Gaetano Rossi and the composer wrote the Italian libretto after François Ancelot's play. It premiered on December 26, 1841 at La Scala, Milan...
, Meyerbeer's Il crociato in Egitto
Il crociato in Egitto
Il crociato in Egitto is an opera in two acts by Giacomo Meyerbeer, with a libretto by Gaetano Rossi. It was first performed at La Fenice theatre, Venice on 7 March, 1824. The part of Armando was sung by the famous castrato, Giovanni Battista Velluti; the opera was probably the last ever written...
and Rossini's Ricciardo e Zoraide
Ricciardo e Zoraide
Ricciardo e Zoraide is an opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Francesco Berio de Salsa...
and made a solo album with the title Della Jones sings Donizetti, in all of which one can appreciate her impeccable coloratura technique and strong feeling for words and music.
For Chandos records she also made albums such as Great Operatic Arias - Della Jones.
Della Jones is still at home in the international opera and concert world today. She currently lives in South-East England.