Eva-Maria Westbroek
Encyclopedia
Eva-Maria Westbroek is a Dutch soprano. She is one of three daughters of the geology researcher and professor Peter Westbroek.
Westbroek studied at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague
from 1988 to 1995. Her vocal teachers included Iris Adami Corradetti and the American tenor James McCray
. She made her operatic debut at the Aldeburgh Festival
in 1994 as Mère Marie in Poulenc
's Dialogues des Carmélites.She was a prize winner at an international competition in Rome, which allowed her to sing the role of Tosca at age 25. She also was a laureate at the Angelica Catalani Concours and the Santa Maria Ligure Concours. A subsequent slow spell in her career followed, during which time her mother died. Westbroek also worked as a singing waitress during that period.
In 2001, Westbroek secured a 5-year contract as a company member of the Staatsoper Stuttgart
. Her roles in Stuttgart included Carlotta (Schreker, Die Gezeichneten
), Tosca, Emilia Marty (Janáček, Věc Makropulos, Desdemona (Verdi, Otello
), Donna Anna (Mozart, Don Giovanni
), Giulietta (Offenbach
, Les Contes d'Hoffmann
), Marie (Smetana
, The Bartered Bride
) and The Duchess of Parma (Busoni, Doktor Faust
). In 2006, at the end of her work in Stuttgart, she was given the title of Kammersängerin der Staatsoper Stuttgart.
In 2003, Westbroek debuted at the Salzburger Festspiele as Agave in a concert performance of Egon Wellesz
' Die Bakchantinnen. In 2004, she debuted at the Opéra Bastille
as Madame Lidoine in Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmélites. Her debut at De Nederlandse Opera
was as Katerina Izmailova in Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk
. This performance was commercially recorded for DVD release, and Westbroek won first prize from the Dutch VSCD Classical Music in the category "most impressive individual artistic achievement" for this performance. She repeated this role in her debut at the Royal Opera House
, Covent Garden
in London in October 2006. In 2008, she won the Grand Prix Antoine Livio of the Presse Musicale Internationale.
In her first world premiere production, Westbroek created the role of Anna Nicole Smith
in the February 2011 Royal Opera
premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage
's opera Anna Nicole
at Covent Garden
.
Westbroek made her Metropolitan Opera debut on April 22, 2011 singing the role of Sieglinde in the premiere of a new production of Wagner's "Die Walküre" directed by Robert Lapage. Unfortunately, she had to withdraw mid-performance after the first act due to illness. Mezzo-soprano Margaret Jane Wray stepped in to complete the evening's performance. Ms. Westbroek finally sang the entire opera the following week on April 25, 2011.
Westbroek's commercial recordings include Bohuslav Martinů
's Julietta
, in the title role, for VMS Music Treasures, and two recorded productions of Wagner's Die Walküre
as Sieglinde, on DVD and on CD. She is also featured in a DVD recording (Opus Arte) of Puccini's La fanciulla del West
as Minnie, her own acknowledged favourite role.
Westbroek is married to tenor Frank van Aken. She does charity work for the organisation Musicians Without Borders.
Westbroek studied at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague
Royal Conservatory of The Hague
The Royal Conservatory of The Hague is a conservatorium of music, providing higher education in music and dance, it is located in The Hague, Netherlands.-The Conservatory:...
from 1988 to 1995. Her vocal teachers included Iris Adami Corradetti and the American tenor James McCray
James McCray
-Life and career:Born in Ohio, McRay served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War before entering the Mannes School of Music in New York City where he was a pupil of Patricia Neway. In 1962 he won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions...
. She made her operatic debut at the Aldeburgh Festival
Aldeburgh Festival
The Aldeburgh Festival is an English arts festival devoted mainly to classical music. It takes place each June in the Aldeburgh area of Suffolk, centred on the main concert hall at Snape Maltings...
in 1994 as Mère Marie in Poulenc
Francis Poulenc
Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc was a French composer and a member of the French group Les six. He composed solo piano music, chamber music, oratorio, choral music, opera, ballet music, and orchestral music...
's Dialogues des Carmélites.She was a prize winner at an international competition in Rome, which allowed her to sing the role of Tosca at age 25. She also was a laureate at the Angelica Catalani Concours and the Santa Maria Ligure Concours. A subsequent slow spell in her career followed, during which time her mother died. Westbroek also worked as a singing waitress during that period.
In 2001, Westbroek secured a 5-year contract as a company member of the Staatsoper Stuttgart
Staatsoper Stuttgart
The Staatsoper Stuttgart is a German opera company based in Stuttgart, Germany.-History:The Stuttgart Staatsoper forms part of the Stuttgart State Theatre , which is a a three-branch-theatre complex and represents the largest theatre of its kind in Europe...
. Her roles in Stuttgart included Carlotta (Schreker, Die Gezeichneten
Die Gezeichneten
Die Gezeichneten is an opera in three acts by Franz Schreker, libretto by the composer.-Composition history:...
), Tosca, Emilia Marty (Janáček, Věc Makropulos, Desdemona (Verdi, Otello
Otello
Otello is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play Othello. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, and was first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on February 5, 1887....
), Donna Anna (Mozart, Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
), Giulietta (Offenbach
Jacques Offenbach
Jacques Offenbach was a Prussian-born French composer, cellist and impresario. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s–1870s and his uncompleted opera The Tales of Hoffmann. He was a powerful influence on later composers of the operetta genre, particularly Johann Strauss, Jr....
, Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Les contes d'Hoffmann
Les contes d'Hoffmann is an opéra by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier, based on short stories by E. T. A...
), Marie (Smetana
Smetana
Smetana is a Slavic loanword in English for a dairy product that is produced by souring heavy cream. Smetana is from Central and Eastern Europe, sometimes perceived to be specifically of Russian origin. It is a soured cream product like crème fraîche , but nowadays mainly sold with 15% to 30%...
, The Bartered Bride
The Bartered Bride
The Bartered Bride is a comic opera in three acts by the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana, to a libretto by Karel Sabina. The opera is considered to have made a major contribution towards the development of Czech music. It was composed during the period 1863–66, and first performed at the...
) and The Duchess of Parma (Busoni, Doktor Faust
Doktor Faust
Doktor Faust is an opera by Ferruccio Busoni with a German libretto by the composer himself, based on the myth of Faust. Busoni worked on the opera, which he intended as his masterpiece, between 1916 and 1924, but it was still incomplete at the time of his death. His pupil Philipp Jarnach finished it...
). In 2006, at the end of her work in Stuttgart, she was given the title of Kammersängerin der Staatsoper Stuttgart.
In 2003, Westbroek debuted at the Salzburger Festspiele as Agave in a concert performance of Egon Wellesz
Egon Wellesz
Egon Joseph Wellesz was an Austrian-born British composer, teacher and musicologist, notable particularly in the field of Byzantine music.- Life :...
' Die Bakchantinnen. In 2004, she debuted at the Opéra Bastille
Opéra Bastille
L'Opéra Bastille ' is a modern opera house in Paris, France. It is the home base of the Opéra national de Paris and was designed to replace the Palais Garnier, which is nowadays mainly used for ballet performances....
as Madame Lidoine in Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmélites. Her debut at De Nederlandse Opera
De Nederlandse Opera
De Nederlandse Opera , in Amsterdam, is a Dutch opera company based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its present home base is the Het Muziektheater, a modern building designed by Cees Dam which opened in 1986....
was as Katerina Izmailova in Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk
Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District (opera)
Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District is an opera in four acts by Dmitri Shostakovich, his Op.29. The libretto was written by Alexander Preis and the composer, and is based on the story Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District by Nikolai Leskov. The opera is sometimes referred to informally as Lady Macbeth...
. This performance was commercially recorded for DVD release, and Westbroek won first prize from the Dutch VSCD Classical Music in the category "most impressive individual artistic achievement" for this performance. She repeated this role in her debut at 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...
, Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
in London in October 2006. In 2008, she won the Grand Prix Antoine Livio of the Presse Musicale Internationale.
In her first world premiere production, Westbroek created the role of Anna Nicole Smith
Anna Nicole Smith
In 1992 Smith was chosen by Hugh Hefner to appear on the cover of the March issue of Playboy, where she was listed as Vickie Smith, wearing a low-cut evening gown. The centerfold was photographed by Stephen Wayda. Smith said she planned to be "the next Marilyn Monroe". Becoming one of Playboys...
in the February 2011 Royal Opera
Royal Opera, London
The Royal Opera is an opera company based in central London, resident at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Along with the English National Opera, it is one of the two principal opera companies in London. Founded in 1946 as the Covent Garden Opera Company, it was known by that title until 1968...
premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage
Mark-Anthony Turnage
Mark-Anthony Turnage is a prolific English composer of classical music. His initial musical studies were with Oliver Knussen, John Lambert, and later with Gunther Schuller...
's opera Anna Nicole
Anna Nicole
Anna Nicole is an opera in 2 acts by Mark-Anthony Turnage to an English libretto by Richard Thomas. It premiered on 17 February 2011 at the Royal Opera House, London, directed by Richard Jones. The story is based on the life of Anna Nicole Smith. A recording of the opera was broadcast on BBC Four...
at Covent Garden
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...
.
Westbroek made her Metropolitan Opera debut on April 22, 2011 singing the role of Sieglinde in the premiere of a new production of Wagner's "Die Walküre" directed by Robert Lapage. Unfortunately, she had to withdraw mid-performance after the first act due to illness. Mezzo-soprano Margaret Jane Wray stepped in to complete the evening's performance. Ms. Westbroek finally sang the entire opera the following week on April 25, 2011.
Westbroek's commercial recordings include Bohuslav Martinů
Bohuslav Martinu
Bohuslav Martinů was a prolific Czech composer of modern classical music. He was of Czech and Rumanian ancestry. Martinů wrote six symphonies, 15 operas, 14 ballet scores and a large body of orchestral, chamber, vocal and instrumental works. Martinů became a violinist in the Czech Philharmonic...
's Julietta
Julietta
Julietta is an opera by Bohuslav Martinů, who also wrote the libretto, which is based on the play Juliette, ou La clé des songes by the French author Georges Neveux. The opera received its first performance at the National Theatre, Prague on 16 March 1938, with Ota Horaková in the title role and...
, in the title role, for VMS Music Treasures, and two recorded productions of Wagner's Die Walküre
Die Walküre
Die Walküre , WWV 86B, is the second of the four operas that form the cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen , by Richard Wagner...
as Sieglinde, on DVD and on CD. She is also featured in a DVD recording (Opus Arte) of Puccini's La fanciulla del West
La fanciulla del West
La fanciulla del West is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarini, based on the play The Girl of the Golden West by the American author David Belasco. Its highly-publicised premiere occurred in New York City in 1910...
as Minnie, her own acknowledged favourite role.
Westbroek is married to tenor Frank van Aken. She does charity work for the organisation Musicians Without Borders.
External links
- Official Eva-Maria Westbroek web page
- MusicalCriticism.com interview with Eva-Maria Westbroek
- Dutch Divas page on Eva-Maria Westbroek
- Music Web International review of recording of Martinů's Julietta (VMS 106), 6 March 2006
- Opera Today.com review of Opus Arte OA0965D DVD recording of Shostakovich, Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, October 2007
- "Antonio Livio Preis für Eva-Maria Westbroek", klassik.com, 29 December 2008