Number 202: July 2011 - Wagner Society of England

NEWS OF YOUNG ARTISTS
Alwyn Mellor
On 31st May Alwyn was interviewed by Sean Rafferty on BBC Radio 3’s “In
Tune” programme prior to her appearance as Isolde at Grange Park Opera. She described
the experience as life-changing, unlike anything which she had tackled before. “It tears
you up and puts you back together in a different way.” Her spot ended with the first
broadcast of a recording of Liebestod which she made at the Wigmore Hall with the
Orion Orchestra a couple of years ago.
Richard Berkeley-Steele as Tristan and Alwyn Mellor as Isolde at Grange Park
Photo: Alastair Muir for the Daily Telegraph
Of her Grange Park performance Rupert Christiansen wrote in the Telegraph:
Alwyn Mellor made a highly promising debut as Isolde: her red-blooded soprano
combines a firm middle with a confident top, manipulated with stamina, strong attack
and clean intonation. In the hysteria of Act I she was fearless.
John Allison in Time Out wrote: Tristan und Isolde is an impressive achievement
all round, but most of all for Alwyn Mellor, making her debut
In his 5 star Guardian review George Hall wrote: Taking on the two vast and
almost inhumanly demanding roles are Alwyn Mellor and Richard Berkeley-Steele. The
pair possess the sheer stamina to see them through the long evening, with Mellor’s
fleshly-toned Isolde sounding amazingly fresh as she soared through the climactic
Liebestod while Andrew Rees’ embittered Melot leaves an indelible mark.
Fiona Maddocks in the Observer described the production as the week’s talking
point. Alwyn Mellor has sprung to the fore as a considerable Wagnerian soprano, full of
heroic stamina and passion. The audience appeared stunned.
–8– – 8–