Welsh mezzo-soprano Sian Meinir has over 20 years’ performing experience with some of the UK’s foremost opera companies. Her striking contralto timbre allows her an extensive repertoire ranging from Verdi, Wagner, Janáček and Schoenberg to character roles and contemporary works.
Roles for Welsh National Opera include Iseult of the White Hands Le Vin Herbé; Kate Pinkerton Madama Butterfly (Julian Smith’s extended edition); Enrichetta I Puritani; Margaret Wozzeck; Solo Voice Moses und Aron; Annina La Traviata; Inez Il Trovatore; Giovanna Rigoletto; Rychtarka Jenufa; Awen Gair ar Gnawd (World Premiere), which was recorded for TV and broadcast on S4C. Covers for WNO include Mary Der Fliegende Hollander; Sick Woman Moses und Aron; Third Lady Magic Flute; Bird The Sacrifice; Grandmother Jenufa; Mamma Lucia Cavalleria Rusticana. She has performed Suzuki Madame Butterfly Scenes for WNO Creative in London and recorded Zena Katya Kabanova with WNO for Chandos.
Whilst at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, she performed Bridesmaid Le Nozze di Figaro; Slave Salome; Noble Orphan Der Rosenkavalier and Solo Voice in the World Premiere of Twyla Tharp’s ballet, Mr Wordly Wise.
Sian graduated with B.A.Hons degree from the University of Wales, Bangor, subsequently gaining a postgraduate Dip.RAM and LRAM from the Royal Academy of Music, London. She made her début with The Opera Factory as Baba the Turk in The Rake’s Progress at the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre and Teatro Municipal, Lisbon. In the same year, she sang at the Musica nel Chiostro Opera Festival, Batignano, Tuscany in a production of Bernstein’s Candide under the direction of Graham Vick.
Solo concert work highlights include Elijah in a performance with Sir Bryn Terfel, conducted by Richard Hickox, Wesendonck Lieder at the Wales Millennium Centre with WNO, Das Lied von der Erde and Ruckert Lieder at Llandaff Cathedral. Sian made her Royal Albert Hall début as a soloist in ‘The Best of Welsh’ concert. She has given recitals in all the major cities of South Africa as well as performances of the Messiah in Paris and Guernsey, Rossini’s Stabat Mater at Montbotbourg Abbey, Mass in B minor at St. Martin’s in the Field and Vivaldi’s Gloria and Bach’s Magnificat at St David’s Cathedral. Other concert work includes Schumann's Frauenliebe und leben and Maria Stuart lieder cycles at Bangor and Southwark Cathedrals.
Last season, Sian performed the roles of Dr. Heinkel/ Alfana/ Old Woman of Bala in the world premiere of Opra Cymru’s Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd by Gareth Glyn and cover Filipyevna in Eugene Onegin for Scottish Opera.
This season she performs Annina in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera.
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